Family Connections
by Leonaria Dragonbane
Summary: A new mutant sets off warning bells all over the place. Can she adapt to her new family, and what’s looming on the horizon? Multi Parings
1. Chapter 1

Family Connections

I don't own them, really I don't, and for some reason the ones I do, sometimes I just don't like that well. I know some camps believe that Victor and Logan are related, for all intents and purposes of this story they are NOT, this is AU…I'm going to say it again…This is Alternate Universe, mine, they have no blood connection what so ever, so please don't flame me about it.

A new mutant sets off warning bells all over the place. Can she adapt to her new family, and what's looming on the horizon? Multi Parings

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Chapter 1

"I ain't tellin ya again." She cringed in the corner of the small room as the hand slapped across the top of her head. "I don't want ta hear a peep out of you." There was another backhanded smack for good measure and the door slammed shut and locked.

Helen looked at her hands, the fingernails broken down to the quick from digging at the door. The last time her mother had locked her in the closet like this she'd forgotten about her for almost a whole day. At least this time she had a sandwich she'd smuggled home from school so she wouldn't go completely hungry until her mother remembered she was in here.

She heard the door to the apartment open and loud male voices laughing and her mother's voice join in. She cringed further back in the closet, burying her head in the few clothes hung there to try to muffle the noises. Soon all she could hear were grunts and moans and occasional cries as her mother took care of business. Helen hoped that this time they'd pay enough so that they could buy some groceries. The only meal she was getting right now was the lunch at school.

She could feel the panic building, she hated dark enclosed spaces, and she knew if she screamed this time, her mother would beat her within an inch of her life. She bit down on her lip and tried to keep the quiet keening low so her mother wouldn't hear her. She tasted copper in her mouth as she bit her lip harder. The blood reminded her she was hungry but she didn't want to eat now, because that sandwich had to last her until her mother let her out.

She heard a loud cry from the room outside the door, and something heavy slam against the closet door. The grunts and moans were louder, along with a constant pounding on the door.

"Oh yeah baby…just like that, GOD YES!" She heard her mother's voice. "FUCK ME LIKE YOU MEAN IT!"

She bit harder on her lip, the concentrating on the hot blood in her mouth as she bit deeper. She swallowed the whimper as her teeth met in the middle. The pain was all she thought about, she let it block out the continued noises from outside the door as well as the growing smell. Smells had been bothering her a lot lately, everything smelled funny, and noises, they were getting louder. Her teachers were worried about her hearing, but she could hear everything.

She released her jaw and slid her lip from between her teeth. She knew she needed to get a band aid or something on it to stop the bleeding, but just as she thought it the bleeding stopped. She ran her tongue along the hole in the inside of her lip but it was gone, so was the one on the outside, and only drying blood sticking to her fingers as evidence she'd hurt herself. She stuffed a piece of cloth into her mouth and tried to keep from screaming. She could feel herself shaking and she was trying to muffle the moans as she rocked on the closet floor.

She didn't know how long she sat there, her head spinning, trying not to scream against the dark and the noise and the smells when there was another loud noise from the apartment, and more voices.

"Get the fuck out. You have NO RIGHT in my house. GET OUT!" Her mother was screaming.

"Ms. Denny, We're here because of your daughter…" She'd only heard people who talked like that in movies; there weren't that many people from the southern United States up here in backwoods Canada.

"You damned goodie goodies ain't gettin' my kid." Her mother screeched.

She could hear them clearly but her fear muffled the sound.

"…best for her…people like her…"

"YOU FREAKS GET THE FUCK OUT!" She heard the door slam and her mother muttering under her breath. "Damned mutie freaks. The kid's normal, damn it. I didn't give birth ta no freak."

Helen just sat there rocking. She could hear her mother pacing outside the door.

"This is all your fault you little pain in the ass. I aught ta just let them take you, you are nothing but trouble." She knew better than to say anything, she just sat there rocking, and praying for a miracle.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

He dropped his jacket on the chair inside the main door. He'd grab it later. Chuck rarely bothered him when he needed a night out, away from the kids, and he hadn't argued when the telepath had summoned him back to the school after only his second beer. He walked straight to Charles's office.

"Ahh, Logan, we have a problem."

"I kinda figured."

"A new mutant showed up on Cerebro tonight, and it is powerful."

"What kind?"

"Healing, like yours."

"What – I thought there were only two of us?"

"There are – or were. She became active tonight."

"She?"

"Her name is Helen Denny, twelve years old, born in Saskatchewan."

"Canadian?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"A small town outside of Prince Albert."

"What does she look like?"

"We don't know yet. Her mother will not let Rogue or Bobby anywhere near the girl. We were hoping you might be able to give us some insight into a way to get her out of there."

"Insight?" He could feel his blood turning to ice. The age, the location, it was too damned close to his old stomping grounds. The only insight he could think of involved him and a blood test damn it.

"Logan, if you can think of anything – any local information that can be used to extricate this girl."

"How strong exactly is this healing ability?"

"As strong as yours – or stronger."

"I have one idea."

"We are open to anything."

"Okay – I want a paternity test."

"WHAT!? Do you honestly think…?"

"Yeah…I wasn't real careful up there, ya know. With that ability, the age, the place of birth, I..was in that area about thirteen years ago. My head was really screwed up at the time, and I took comfort where I could."

"Dear Lord, you might be right…and it is a legitimate reason to take custody of the child, or at least get her into pubic custody. I have Judge Williams on speed dial."

"It might be nothing, I mean…I'm not the only one with that healing power, she could be Creed's."

"I'm not sure which is a more frightening concept; you or Creed as a father."

"Yeah – well, no one nominated you for father of the year."

Charles just glared at him and picked up the phone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

She listened as the pacing slowed outside the door and for a moment felt a surge of hope that her mother would unlock it.

"You just stay in there ya little bitch, they ain't getting' you without a fight." She heard her mother's muttered curse. Helen felt the silent tears burn down her face. Not for the first time she wished she were anyone else. She let her mind drift to a favorite fantasy. She was in a room with white walls and a canopy bed with lots of dolls and clothes and everything a girl could want. Downstairs she could hear voices, adult voices laughing; her parents, both of them.

She woke up to the sound of raised voices outside the door again.

"Ah have a court order and Ah'm takin tha girl." The southern voice was back again.

"Ma'am I'd do what she says. You won't like it when she gets mad." A soft spoken male voice said.

"I don't care if you bring the damned cops, she's my KID!"

"And Ah have a court order that says she may be someone else's kid, her father's."

"Her father was a drifter – met him one night in a bar, I ain't even sure WHICH drifter he is." Her mother sneered.

"Well AH got a court order says AH take her out of here – so get her things packed, or AH will get tha cops." The woman sounded angry to Helen, VERY angry.

"That piece of paper ain't worth shit – it's American, just like you."

"Yeah – but it's signed by a Canadian Judge."

"What?"

"Yep. Issued in Alberta."

"Damn." Her mother muttered under her breath. Helen felt a sudden surge of hope. These people knew her father, and were trying to take her to him. The sudden light hurt her eyes as her mother yanked the door open and dragged her out by the arm.

"Take the bitch, but you take her as is…you ain't takin' anything I've bought." Her mother snarled and threw her small backpack from school at her. "And take those damned useless books and notebooks of hers too."

Helen was shaking as the strange looking woman with the white streaks in her hair took her hand. Helen noticed the gloves, and the smile the man standing behind her gave her and she felt a ghost of an answer on her face.

"You'll be hearin' from Mr. Xavier's attorney about custody arrangements." The woman said coldly. "MY advice, sign whatever he sends, you don't want ME takin' tha stand."

Helen gripped the woman's hand tightly as the man picked up her small pack.

"It's alright, Sugar, we ain't gonna let her hurt you again." They led her out of the apartment and down to the strangest sight she'd ever seen; an airplane sitting in the middle of the street. They led her up the back ramp and helped her strap into a seat behind the pilot seat.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Rogue." The accent was suddenly less pronounced. "This is Mr. Drake. We work at a school for Gifted Youngsters."

"A school? I thought you were taking me to my father?"

"Let's wait and see, Sugar."

They were quiet through the flight. Helen noticed Rogue glancing back at her from the co-pilot's seat as Mr. Drake flew the plane. She'd never seen an airplane like this one before and she kept trying to glance around without getting caught.

They dropped suddenly and she jumped for a second, but caught the slight smile from Rogue and tried to hide her fear. She grabbed her own bag as soon as the plane landed and unfastened her own harness.

"Dr. McCoy is waitin' ta check you over, Sugar. Don't worry, it won't hurt." Rogue smiled at her and Helen liked her better when she was smiling. They took her to a small room down a metal hallway. Inside was a doctor's exam table and all the stuff she'd learned to expect at the free clinic when her mother had to take her when she was sick. The only difference, was these things looked new with no cracks or scratches or padding sticking through the covers.

She climbed up on the table and set the small bag on the floor next to her. She looked at her fingernails and noticed that they no longer were cracked and bleeding, but smooth and even. She could see herself in a mirror; the dried blood crusted on her bottom lip and chin, but not even a scar where she'd bitten through her lip. She didn't know what to make of it

She jumped when the door opened and just sat there in shock. She could feel herself beginning to panic. She'd never seen anything like this person – if it was a person. He was bigger than some of the truckers or cage fighters her mother brought home, and his face and neck were covered in fur – BLUE fur…his skin was blue, even on his hands and she was starting to wonder if maybe her teachers were right, and she was a little too imaginative. She reached down to pinch herself.

"I assure you I am quite tangible, young lady." The blue thing said with a kind voice.

"Uhhh – okay." She said.

"I need to take a sample of your blood; this might cause some minor discomfort."

"It'll pinch right?"

He laughed a deep throaty laugh and she couldn't help but smile at him. He gently inserted the needle in her arm, and she winced. It never pinched, it just hurt, and this time it was worse, it burned.

"OUCH!"

"That is the anti coagulant to keep your body from healing before I can get enough blood, as soon as the needle is removed the symptoms will cease." He said gently.

She rubbed her arm after he pulled the needle out and watched as the tiny spot just disappeared.

"How'd you know you needed it?"

"I have to use it for someone else." He said. "Someone will be with you shortly; I need to go analyze this."

She sat there alone, the cool air in the room making her shiver in the oversized T-shirt and ripped jeans that were her only clothes.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

He was pacing in Charles' office. He hated waiting, he hated not knowing. Since being here he'd learned more than he'd ever known about himself, and now he was waiting again, to find out something important that he hadn't known.

"Logan, you are wearing a hole in my carpet."

"Yeah – tell me you didn't pace before your son was born." Logan snapped.

"This is a blood test, and we will have the results very shortly. Please sit down."

"I'll sit down when I know for sure."

"Hank is on his way. The test only takes five minutes." Charles laughed.

"Blue Butt better have an answer."

The door opened and Hank stepped into the room. He looked at Logan.

"Congratulations, it's a girl."

Logan dropped into one of the leather chairs. A girl, he had a daughter, a twelve year old daughter. He looked down at his hands, hands so skilled at death and destruction, and wondered if he had it in him to BE a father. Up until now it had just been in his head, but the weight on his shoulders was almost more than he could stand. A child – his blood, and he had no idea the first thing to say to her.

He felt a light hand on his arm and looked up to see Marie standing there, his Marie.

"You alright, Sugar?"

"No…I'm a father."

"Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy…" She grinned at him.

"How the hell am I going to handle this?"

"One day at a time, Sugar. Now, I'm beat and Bobby still wants ta talk. God I hope he's not going to try ta propose again. I ain't in tha mood ta try ta explain AGAIN why that's a bad idea. Why don't you go down there and at least take a look at your girl?"

"I am lookin' at my girl." He whispered as she walked out the door.

"Logan, we've discussed this." Charles said softly as he wheeled himself toward the door.

"I know…leave her alone, let her make her own decisions, and I'm doin' in. Hurts like hell but I'm doin' it."

"You have parental responsibilities to deal with now. I will contact an attorney and start the custody procedures. For now she's in my custody, until the courts decide which parent would be the best for her permanently."

"Right – the kid…what's her name again?"

"Helen."

"Right." He stood up and followed the wheelchair out the door.

He took the elevator down to the second sub level and walked down the hall. The one way mirror let him see her before she saw him. She looked so pitiful sitting there. She was thin, too thin for a kid her age, her dark chestnut hair curled un controlled on her head, the cut was rough, more like it had only been cut to remove something. Her chin was still bloody from the wound that had drawn her to their attention, and her dark eyes kept flitting around the room like she was waiting for something bad to jump out.

He recognized immediately the signs of abuse he'd seen a hundred times in kids they'd brought in over the past few years. It wasn't unusual to find these kids in bad situations, but the burning anger in his chest this time was personal. He watched her react to his scent and realized it wasn't just his healing she'd inherited from him. He knew he needed to walk in there, and hoped like hell she hadn't figured out what fear smelled like, because he stank of it.

He opened the door and stepped into the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She started when the door handle turned and another stranger walked in. His dark hair was curled up in two strange spikes over his ears and he looked rough, like the guys her mother would bring home. He was wearing a worn flannel shirt and a pair of old jeans and scuffed work boots. She had a sinking feeling that this was her father, and she felt ice down her back as she realized he could be a whole lot worse than her mother.

"Hey kid." He said softly, his voice gruff but with the familiar sounds of home, not like the others she'd heard around here. She just sat there, waiting for him to say something else. "I guess you've probably figured things out…I'm…I'm…my name's Logan."

"I'm Helen." She said quietly.

"I know. This is weird for me, too, ya know." He said with a slight smile.

"Yeah."

"Do you have anything you want to…say, ask?"

"Why?"

"Why? Why what…I mean…" He stuttered. Somehow it made her feel a little better.

"Why now, I mean, why…?"

"Well when you came up on our machines – with your healing, it threw up an alert, and when they told me where and when you were born, well it was the first thing that crossed my mind."

"But why do you care?"

"Oh, kid…I…no I'm not gonna lie ta ya. I don't know if I would have given a shit back when you were born. Up until a couple years ago, I didn't give a shit about anything. I didn't know who I was; I couldn't remember anything more than about twenty years ago. Then I met this kid, about five years ago, we ended up here, and they've been helping me try to remember. The more I remember, the more I give a shit."

She was surprised; most grownups just lied to her, and told her what they thought she wanted to hear. She just nodded.

"So – I don't know crap about being a parent. I help here with the kids, so I'm at least used ta that, but I'm gonna make mistakes."

"What?"

"Unless you want ta go back with your mother…"

"I can stay here?"

"That's the plan."

"Oh…"

"Come on, I'll get you settled."

"Where?" She looked around at the metal hallway he led her down.

"Upstairs." She heard the smile in his voice and relaxed a little more.

She was tense again when the door to the elevator opened upstairs. She'd NEVER seen anything like this – except maybe in old black and white movies. It was…elegant was the only word she could think of – right before expensive.

"Yeah – I reacted like that the second time I saw it."

"The second time?"

"The first time I was just tryin' ta escape."

"Escape?"

"I was out cold when they brought me here, I had no idea where I was or what was goin' on." He said softly as he led her up the main staircase. "Shit."

"What?"

"I have no idea what Charles has planned for you."

"Charles?"

"Charles Xavier, he owns this place." She watched a sudden look of distance cross his face, and then he smiled. "Right, we're both moving."

"What?"

"Charles thinks that one of the suites will work better, give us both our own space but time to get to know each other." He said gruffly as he led her to a room down the hall. The room looked a little worn, with dirty clothes dropped carelessly near the bathroom door.

"Tell ya what kid – don't tell me to clean my room – I won't tell you to clean yours." He said with a chuckle.

She smiled as he quickly packed an old green duffle bag and threw it over his shoulder. She followed him down the hallway again, and up another flight of stairs. He opened another door, this one to a living room with three doors off it. She just looked around and dropped her bag by the couch.

"I'll take that one." He said pointing to the closest door.

"I guess I get the couch." She said relieved. She was used to sleeping where ever she could, and lately it had been on a closet floor.

"Hell no - your room's there." He pointed to the furthest door. "Bathroom's between us."

"I have my own room – I don't have to share with anyone?"

"Yeah kid – your own room." He opened his door and carried his bag in. She just looked at the door for a minute, and then picked up her small bag and walked to the closed door. She opened the door and stopped dead. The room was huge. There was a desk – with a COMPUTER on it, and a dresser with a mirror next to the door from this room to the bathroom. The bed was simple – and huge. It was bigger than any bed she'd ever seen except in movies. She carried her bag to the desk and sat it down next to the computer.

"Did you bring anything to sleep in?" He asked.

"I don't…" She blushed.

"Right – I'll be right back." He left her alone in her room. HER room, she'd never had her own room before, she still couldn't believe it. She was running her fingers over the dresser and had just opened the door to the bathroom. It was HUGE, the entire bathroom was as big as the tiny apartment her mother lived in, and the tub was bigger than her mother's bed.

"These will do until we can get into town and pick you up some things." He said as he came in the door and dropped a stack of grey on the bed. She picked up a tank top that had a black X in a circle on the front. There were sweat pants and a zippered hoodie all with the same design on them somewhere. "Get some sleep; we'll take care of shopping in the morning."

She didn't think she'd have any problem doing what he said. She waited until he left and she closed both the doors and was relieved to see locks on her side of both. She still wasn't sure exactly what was going on, and being able to lock the world out made her feel a whole lot better.

She locked both doors and slipped out of the only clothes she owned in the world. She pulled on the tank top, it was too long but that was fine. She slipped under the covers on the bed and laid her head on the softest pillow she'd ever seen. She didn't trust it, but she wasn't going to fight, not right now.


	2. Chapter 2

Family Connections

I don't own them, really I don't, and for some reason the ones I do, sometimes I just don't like that well. I know some camps believe that Victor and Logan are related, for all intents and purposes of this story they are NOT, this is AU…I'm going to say it again…This is Alternate Universe, mine, they have no blood connection what so ever, so please don't flame me about it.

A new mutant sets off warning bells all over the place. Can she adapt to her new family, and what's looming on the horizon? Multi Parings

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Chapter 2

Marie was standing in front of him on the dance floor, her back to him as he pressed her close against his growing arousal. He knew she could feel him growing against her ass as she ground herself against him, driving him insane with her musky scent and erotic movements. They were in the middle of the club and not a chance of privacy but he still slipped a hand up under the back of her skirt and around to brush against the bare skin of her mound. Her arm snaked up over his neck and the other back around his hips to dig her fingernails into his ass, pulling him closer as he teased her mercilessly in the middle of the dance floor.

"Damn Darlin." He whispered against her ear as he slipped a hand between them to unfasten his jeans and slip the back of her skirt up to give him access to what he needed. He moaned as he felt her moist heat against him as he sought to slide into the one place he felt home and safe.

He could hear the pounding of the music, but for some reason it was running counterpoint to the music. His eyes shot open and his claws slipped from his knuckles.

"Mister Logan…I hate to bother you, but Mr. Xavier wants to see you." It was Tommy at his bedroom door. He groaned loudly and slipped the claws back into his forearms. "And Helen is awake and downstairs."

"I'll be there in a minute." He groaned and looked at the tent in his blanket. Cold showers were the order of the days when he woke up. He moaned and threw back the blanket. He seriously considered just impaling the kid, but he was just the messenger unfortunately…and who the fuck was Helen?

HELEN! His daughter SHIT! He groaned louder and hurried that shower along. He needed to get the kid settled, get an attorney started on the custody thing and…he growled low, stay as far away from Rogue as he could get by with without seeming like he was avoiding her today.

He took twenty minutes to get down to Charles's office.

"Ahh, Logan there you are. We received a response from an attorney in Canada about Helen. Her mother has decided she's going to fight us."

"Like HELL, she's MY kid." Logan growled. "I don't think I've seen any kid come in here as bad off as she is."

"Logan…"

"She has NOTHING…Hell I've got about two hundred bucks left from my last cage circuit, I'm gonna take that and pick her up some things, but…"

"Logan…"

"NO! You ain't letting that bitch get her hands on MY KID!"

"Logan…"

"Don't argue with me, Chuck. If I have to I'll take her and run." He was royally pissed now, all thoughts of Marie pushed out of his mind by the threat to a child he hadn't even known he had yesterday.

"When you are finished…" Charles sat back and steepled his hands in front of his lips trying to hide the smile that Logan finally noticed.

"You already have an attorney on this don't you?"

"Yes."

"And you're already filing the necessary paperwork…"

"Yes."

"And I shouldn't worry about taking Helen and running because you won't let them take her…"

"Yes"

"Anything else?"

"I think you have a bit more than two hundred dollars to take care of things."

"Really?"

"Yes…I do PAY you Logan."

"You do?"

"Yes…here's your atm card for your account. I had you sign your bank card with some other paperwork years ago."

"Oh." He ran out of steam. He was still wound up from the dream and now this, he didn't quite know what to do – or say at this point.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Helen sat outside the office listening. He really meant it. He wasn't going to let anyone hurt her, he wanted her. She could feel the tears on her cheeks.

"Hey Sugar, it's alright." The woman from yesterday – Rogue – said.

"I guess." She still didn't know anything about these people, but they all seemed to want to keep her here, and it was better than anything she'd ever experienced in her life, or her fantasies.

"Logan's a little loud sometimes, but his heart's in the right place." The woman sat down next to her on the bench and took one of Helen's hands in her gloved one.

"I guess."

Rogue laughed. "He's kinda intimidating at first…I remember tha first time I saw him, in a cage in Laughlin City, he scared the hell outa me…and I was sixteen."

"Really?"

"Yeah – he nearly left me on the side of tha road when he found me in his trailer too – but he didn't and we ended up here."

"Oh…you're the kid he met…"

"He said that?" Helen was surprised by the brief look of pain on her face. "Ah guess he's raight…Ah'm jest a kid ta him." Her accent seemed to grow stronger for some reason.

"Helen…Marie…Kid, get your jacket, we're goin' into town." He said and both of them looked at him. "Helen."

"Raight." Rogue said as she stood up and walked away.

"Marie, I need to talk to you a second. Helen go find a helmet from the closet would ya?"

She watched them talking in low voices down the hallway, low enough she only caught parts of the conversation.

"…to buy, I ain't been around girls much…Please, Marie I need you…Darlin, please…WHAT THE HELL DID I DO?" He roared as she slapped him and walked away.

"Damned females and their damned mood swings." He muttered as he walked toward Helen. "Come on kid, let's get this torture over with."

She didn't say anything, but she was beginning to agree with Rogue, he needed a good punch in the nose. She followed him down a back hallway to the garage and a huge motorcycle.

"Get on kid." He said as he swung one leg up over the bike and settled into the seat.

"I've never been on one of those." She said.

"What the FUCK has your mother been teaching you, SHIT!"

"I…"

"Just get on, do what I say and I'll take it slow – I might even stay under the speed limit."

She glared at him and stood her ground. There was no way she was getting on something like that. "NO!"

"I SAID GET ON. Shit I'm not in the mood for this crap. I don't drive the damned pansy ass cars around here…" He looked at her and she felt her jaw setting, he wasn't going to be able to get her on that thing, not without tying her up and throwing her across the back.

"No." She said it calmly, but firmly. She didn't know just how far she could push him, but she wasn't going to let him KILL her on the back of that thing to get rid of her.

He let out a loud growl that nearly had her running for the woods to hide, but he climbed off the bike and walked to a board with keys on it.

"Fine – I'm taking Scooter's convertible then…damn it."

Two hours and an oil change later they hit the road.

"I can't believe no one has started this thing in three damned years." Twice Rogue had stuck her nose in to check on them, but just glared at Logan and walked out. The third time she and Mr. Drake came in, holding hands, and Logan glared at them until they drove off in one of the sedans.

"Damned Ice Prick doesn't know a good thing when he's got it." Logan was muttering under his breath as he drove down the long driveway of the school.

"I think she just did it to make you mad." Helen said quietly.

"Like hell – they're practically engaged." He snarled at her. "Just shut up about things you don't know anything about, kid."

"Whatever."

She was quiet as he drove. They pulled into the mall without another word passing between them. He just glanced at her and walked into one of the big department stores, she trailed along behind him, she'd never been inside a place like this before…the only clothes she'd ever owned came from thrift stores at best, and church donation boxes at worst.

They walked into an area of the store filled with girls' clothes. There were three women there, two older ones and a younger one. The older women looked at Logan's oil stained jeans and shirt, and her used grey sweats and both of them adopted the same expression – like they'd just bitten down on sour limes. The younger one didn't seem to mind the oil stains and smiled broadly at him.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah – my daughter just came to live with me and her mother didn't send her anything to wear…I need ta buy her some stuff and I don't have any clue what kids need." He explained.

"Of course, why don't you follow me and we'll see what we can find." Helen watched the looks the woman was giving Logan and wondered if she'd be sitting someplace while he took the 'comfort' she was so obviously offering.

"It's for the kid, let her pick it out, I'm just paying." He said and sat down in a chair next to the cash register. He waved a hand at Helen shooing her into the sea of clothes to pick out what she wanted.

"Well your father seems nice." The woman said.

"Yeah and his girlfriend's nice too." Helen said softly as she looked at a shirt.

"Oh…well let's see what we can find." The woman smiled at her and started handing Helen some jeans. The woman led her into a dressing room, but didn't leave anything for her to try on. She sat down on the little bench inside and waited. She didn't sit there long, and the woman came back with two packages one of panties and one of undershirts.

"Your father already paid for these so, go ahead and put some on before you try things on." Helen was blushing. The woman had noticed she didn't have any UNDERWEAR. She just wanted to sink into the floor.

"It's alright, your father explained what happened and I am so glad you are here and safe with him. Helen actually smiled at the woman and the rest of the shopping expedition seemed to go much smoother. The woman kept bringing her outfits every few minutes, and within an hour she had picked out three she liked. She didn't think she would need more than that, she could wash one while wearing one and have one for a backup. She didn't want Logan to have to spend too much money on her; she was just a kid, after all.

She came out of the dressing room finally, with her three outfits. There were five bags of things sitting at Logan's feet.

"You done?"

"Yeah." She looked at the bags. He must have gone and bought some things for himself too. The woman rang up the three outfits and pointed them in the direction of the shoe department. Logan picked up the now six large bags and she followed behind him. The woman smiled and waved at her, and Helen noticed the glares the older women were shooting at her.

In the shoe department a young man helped her pick out three pair of shoes – Logan insisted on at least three pairs of shoes, and she winced at the price tag, but he didn't even blink, just handed the clerk a credit card and picked up the bag and walked back toward the exit of the store.

"That should do for a while." He said quietly.

"Thank you." Helen said just as quietly. He piled the bags into the trunk of the car and climbed in. She climbed into the passenger seat and clicked her seat belt.

"I'm hungry – how bout you?"

"Yeah."

He pulled out of the parking space and out of the mall parking lot.

They pulled into a diner and climbed out of the car and walked into the front door. The single waitress grinned at him, and then at her, and he grabbed a couple seats at the counter. She noticed him glaring back at the back of the restaurant and saw Mr. Drake sitting there – but not with Rogue. The woman with him had bright red hair and they both seemed to only see each other, and Helen felt a slight surge of anger at Mr. Drake.

"You and me both, kid." Logan muttered under his breath.

"What?" She looked at him.

"You're pissed at the Ice Prick."

"How'd you know that?"

"I can smell it."

"Really?"

"Yeah – enhanced senses, it's part of the mutation."

"Oh…so ummm…are you going to do anything about it?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Rogue has ta figure it out for herself. I ain't gonna lie to her, but I ain't gonna break her heart just ta make myself feel better." He took a drink from the glass of water in front of him.

"Why don't you just tell her how you feel?"

"What?"

"You love her, right?"

"Yeah – things are complicated." He growled.

"I think things might be a whole lot simpler if people just talked." Helen muttered.

"KI…" He stopped. "You might be right there, Helen, but I kinda need ta take care of other things that are just as important."

"Like what?"

"You."

"SHIT!" Helen heard from the back of the restaurant. Mr. Drake noticed them.

"Bobby." Logan said with a low growl.

"Angelica, this is Logan, and his daughter Helen."

"Angelica?" Logan said, but he was glaring at Bobby.

"Yeah – ummm…Angelica and I are…um…"

"Busted." Helen said under her breath.

Angelica laughed, which surprised Helen. "Bobby I'll see you in class." She said as she walked to the register to pay her check.

"In class?" Logan was still glaring at Bobby.

"I'm tutoring her in economics."

"You're tutoring her in something." Logan snarled.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Rogue." Angelica said from the door as she waved back toward the back of the restaurant. Helen saw her as she walked out of the ladies' room door.

"Marie…" Logan said under his breath.

"Hey – did ya get your shoppin' done?" Rogue said as she walked up. Bobby slipped an arm around her waist.

"Yeah…we're just having some lunch." Logan said his jaw tense.

"You ready, Sugar." She asked Bobby.

"Yeah." Bobby smiled at them, and Logan glared as they paid their check and left the restaurant.

After they left Logan glanced at Helen. "Tell me I wasn't imagining that?"

"Believe me – there's something going on there." Helen said.

They didn't say much else as they finished their lunch and got back into the car.

"Don't say anything to Rogue." He said finally.

"Right." She said. She didn't know these people well enough to get involved in their lives.

He unloaded the bags in the garage and carried them up the back stairs to the third floor and their suite. He dropped all of them on her bed and walked out of her room.

"Aren't some of these yours?"

"No."

"What?"

"You better get unpacked." He said with a grin, and closed the door behind him, leaving her alone in her room with more personal possessions than she'd ever owned in her life.

XXXXXXXXXXX

He headed down to the Danger Room; he needed to gut something – something COLD! He punched up a random simulation and started it loading while he went into the locker room to change into his leather uniform. He wished for the millionth time that the lockers had metal doors instead of glass. A fist into a metal door would feel so satisfying right now.

He'd smelled that woman all over Drake for the last month, and Rogue had been there, sitting in the same booth while they acted like lovers. He just didn't get it. She HAD to know what was going on, unless they were better actors than they appeared today. He had to think his girl had more SENSE than to let her boyfriend screw around with another woman right in front of her.

He yanked the zipper up and winced as he caught skin from his chest in the metal teeth. He just yanked harder and the zipper closed. The pain helped him focus on going to the Danger Room and finding something to pound on. That something was a Sentinel, and he spent the next hour being slammed against walls as he tried to take one of the gargantuan robots alone.

He was dripping sweat and blood when he walked out of the door.

"Sugar – you really need ta find a better way ta take your aggressions out." She was leaning on the wall outside the door.

"It beats pounding your boyfriend into a pulp." He muttered as he pushed past her.

"He ain't my boyfriend. He ain't been for over a month."

"What?"

"We're friends, that's all." She said. "He and Angelica have been datin' I keep tellin' him it's too early ta propose but he keeps talkin about it."

"What?"

"Yeah, Sugar. You looked like ya might break up that diner, and I thought I should let ya know exactly what's goin' on."

"Oh…right." He really felt like a heel now.

"Sugar, how's Helen doin'?" She said, changing the subject.

"I left her unpacking her loot from the mall." He said.

"Good LORD, Logan. Tha poor kids probably lost." Rogue said, and turned running down the hall. "It's a good thing you have me around, cuz you're doin a terrible job so far."

He glanced at the locker room, and then at her very curvy back rushing down the hallway, and turned and walked back into the Danger Room. He was going to have to take a couple more hours of that pounding to get any sleep tonight…and he doubted he'd sleep much then either.


	3. Chapter 3

Family Connections

I don't own them, really I don't, and for some reason the ones I do, sometimes I just don't like that well. I know some camps believe that Victor and Logan are related, for all intents and purposes of this story they are NOT, this is AU…I'm going to say it again…This is Alternate Universe, mine, they have no blood connection what so ever, so please don't flame me about it.

A new mutant sets off warning bells all over the place. Can she adapt to her new family, and what's looming on the horizon? Multi Parings

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 3

Helen stood there staring at the pile of things on her bed. She'd never had so much, and most of it she didn't remember even trying on. The sales clerk hadn't brought her any dresses but there were four in the pile along with skirts she knew she hadn't tried on. She'd never owned a skirt in her life and had no idea how to wear one. She'd pulled everything out of the bags and stacked it neatly on the bed. She just didn't know where to start.

She heard a soft knock on the door and Rogue walked in.

"Hey, you look like you could use some help." She said softly as she walked to the bed.

"Why did he do this?" Helen asked.

"You're his daughter."

"But he…he doesn't know anything about me. My mom never bought me anything if she could help it." Helen was still staring at the piles on the bed. She just didn't trust it. Why would anyone do something like this, and what did he want from her?

"Sugar, you're his blood, his child. He's not exactly the most perceptive person at times, but he is tryin'."

"I just don't get it." Helen said.

"Trust me – he's pretty dense sometimes, but his heart is in the right place." Rogue was folding jeans and placing them into a drawer in the dresser. Helen picked up a pile of shirts and carried them over to her. She noticed that Rogue's hands were bare.

"Why do you always wear gloves?"

"My skin – I absorb somethin' from people, their thoughts, and if they are mutant their powers." Rogue said gently.

"That's awful." Helen said.

"Well…it's not so bad." Rogue said as she carefully took a second stack of neatly folded shirts and set them into a drawer. Helen watched her moving and wondered exactly why she'd come here without her gloves.

"I'm learnin a bit of control – more than some people realize. I can go several hours without bein' in 'em."

"That sounds like good news." Helen said cautiously.

"It is. So how much more do ya have ta put away?"

"I've just got these things…" Helen pointed to the dresses on the bed.

"I've got some hangers in my room." Rogue smiled at her and Helen returned the smile.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Logan…I'd like to see you in my office." Charles caught him as he walked out of the elevator.

"Sure thing." He muttered, thinking about the cigar he'd been planning on enjoying before going up to bed.

He closed the door behind him and dropped into one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"Logan the attorney called. Helen's mother is moving quickly. They already have a court date – in one week." Charles handed him the faxed papers.

"How the HELL did she move that quickly."

"It appears that she gets subsistence for having Helen, it's her main source of income and by taking her away, and we have jeopardized her financial security. She wants the girl back."

"Like HELL that's happening."

"Logan – this is a very tenuous situation, neither parent shows any real stability, and it will be a tough decision for the courts based on stability."

"Stability…I've been HERE for five fucking years…."

"With large periods of just up and walking away for months at a time; the courts will not look kindly on that type of history." Charles said, and Logan could tell he was up to something.

"Well don't beat around the bush, Charles, what do you have in mind?" Logan growled.

"Nothing in mind, but you need to consider the quickest and most decisive way to appear stable to the courts. I honestly have been trying to come up with something." Charles sounded concerned – and that made Logan even more suspicious. He KNEW the telepath was up to something now.

"Surely you have an idea…what do the courts consider stable?" Logan snarled, why didn't the old man just put his idea out there already?

"Well the attorney had some suggestions they are on the third page of the fax." Charles said. Logan flipped to the page.

_…client to take more than one of the following steps._

_ Purchase some land or a home that would be the primary residence for the minor child in question._

_Establish or show an established long term monogamous relationship – marital preferred._

_Enroll the minor child in an educational program equal to his/her age and capabilities._

_Show financial means and willingness to support the minor child._

_Show long term employment history._

He had a long term employment history and the kid was enrolling at Xavier's wasn't that enough?

"We've got it covered." He said with a slight smile.

"Logan…he goes on to say that the only way he can guarantee that you have a decent chance of gaining full custody is if you manage to fulfill all of those requirements before the custody hearing in about six weeks."

"ALL…what the hell, I have to buy a house and get MARRIED!"

"Well – if you want the best chance at custody."

"Well who the FUCK would be dumb enough to want to marry ME, damn it?" He roared.

"You wanted ta see me Charles." Rogue said as she pushed the door open. She couldn't have helped hearing what he'd said…SHIT!

"Yes Rogue, have a seat." Charles said, glaring at Logan as he said it.

Logan stared at Charles – and then at Rogue and then back to Charles. The old man couldn't…wouldn't…

"DAMN IT CHARLES STAY THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!"

"Logan I have no idea what you are talking about. I wanted to see Rogue about the teaching schedule for next week. I trust you to find a solution to this problem on your own." Charles looked at Rogue and handed her a piece of paper across the desk. From the look on her face she was ready to slap him again.

He stood up and stormed out of the office, and straight out the front door. He considered getting on his bike and taking off again…but he couldn't. Helen needed him. She didn't realize it yet, but she did, and after a full day of fatherhood he realized he needed her too. Rogue would get over it, she always did, but he wasn't running out on his kid, he'd done that once, admittedly he hadn't known at the time, but he wasn't ever doing it again.

"Sugar…this has you all confused, doesn't it." Her voice was soft, dangerously soft because when she spoke like that he forgot the kid he'd seen all those years ago in that bar, and all he could think of was getting her to talk like that all the time. It sent heat burning straight to his groin and he knew he wouldn't be able to stop the reaction, and couldn't turn to face her or she'd see.

"Yeah." He growled hoping he sounded gruff and not like the wounded animal he felt like.

"Logan, you will do what you think is best. She's a good kid, and a lot like you and you'll figure this out, you always do." He swallowed the groan as she slipped her arms around him from behind and he felt her body heat through his flannel shirt and jeans. He knew tonight would be one of those where he didn't get any sleep at all…this was pure torture.

"Marie…I need ta think, Darlin." He whispered – or he hoped that's what it sounded like. To him it was more of a whimper.

"Look at me…" She said firmly as she released him. She stepped to his side and into a beam of moonlight. He had about three choices in that moment, run, grab her and show her exactly what he needed from her, or run even faster. He looked at her instead.

"I trust you ta make the best decision. It's not one anyone can make for ya, Sugar." She brushed one hand across his cheek and he couldn't stop himself from leaning into her palm. The gloves she was wearing were so thin he could feel the ridges of her hand under his cheek. "You have ta do what's best for you and Helen, and the only one who can make that decision is you."

"I won't let her go back…I'll take her and run and keep runnin' if I have to, I AIN'T letting her go back to that." He said it softly, looking down into her eyes in the moonlight.

"Then don't. If ya need ta show a long term relationship – you've got one, if ya need it."

"Where…I'm not exactly Mr. Faithful…I mean…"

"Me ya dumb ass." She snapped at him.

"Marie – Darlin, I'd never use you that way. I…" He bit the words back. She couldn't know, not how he felt. She was so young, so beautiful, she had her life in front of her and she didn't need his broken mind, broken past holding her back. He knew how she felt, he'd always known, but he wasn't going to hurt her like that.

"Logan, you and I are friends – friends help each other. I know you ain't seen anyone since Jean died, we've talked about it, Ah'm the only one ya can even think about havin' any kinda history ta show…"

"But…Darlin, you…can't…" Something that had been nagging at the back of his mind suddenly snapped into place. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOUR GLOVES!"

"In my room…"

"How long? What the hell…" He stared at her dumbstruck…the one thing that had kept her safe, kept Wolverine's instincts from kicking in and claiming her was no longer a barrier. He brushed his cheek against her bare palm again.

"Ah've been workin' on it for a while now…Ah can go hours without 'em." She said softly, and he felt her fingers curl, cupping his face and he felt the one last thing that kept him sane – kept his instincts in check slip away, and with it his control.

He pulled her against him and damn the consequences. He swallowed her squeak of surprise as he devoured her mouth. Her mouth opened under his and he tasted her as she returned every move, every moan, her hands tangled in his hair, and he backed her up until she was pressed against the stone wall of the building. His hands couldn't stop touching her skin and he grew frustrated at the little bit that was exposed to his touch. He snarled against her mouth, and with the sharp sound of metal against metal his claws slipped out and he raised them to cut her shirt away from her body.

"SLOW down there, Sugar." She panted, gripping his wrist. "Can ya save that fer mah room."

"YOUR room…" He snarled.

"Yeah – you have a twelve year old girl sleepin' next ta you." She said with a laugh.

"FUCK!" He growled and stepped back. He looked at her, her skin glowing in the moonlight and suddenly he didn't care. He leaned down, planted one shoulder in her stomach and started into the building. "Fine your room it is."

The students they passed just stared as he carried her over his shoulder. Storm just glanced out of her office, and Logan glared at her as she tried to hide the grin on her face. Hank didn't bother trying to hide his as they passed him in the hall. Her bedroom door was open or he would have probably kicked it down, he did slam it shut and threw the lock with one hand.

"You were saying." He said as he dropped her onto the bed.

"Nothin… as you were Sugar…" She said, her voice breathy as he didn't bother with the buttons, just ripped his shirt off and then covered her body with his as he slid one blade under the edge of her shirt and sliced the cotton shirt straight up the middle. He didn't even let her move, just buried his face between her breasts, her skin soft against his lips. His body was aching, wanting nothing more than to mount his mate and mark her as his, but he still held back, the claws slipping back into his arms as he touched every inch of her perfect skin that he could reach.

He'd only dreamed about moments like this, her moans against his ear as he kissed her neck, her body arching under him, begging his hands to touch her. His name in breathy little whimpers as his teeth grazed along her throat.

"Logan…please…" She was whispering.

He pulled back to look at her. Her eyes were half closed and her body was flushed to the waistband of her jeans and he snarled at the obstruction. He wanted to see all of her, his mate. He started to unsheathe the claws again but she stopped him…

"NOT my favorite jeans…down boy…I'll get 'em off." She pushed against him and slipped from under his body and he whimpered at the loss, and then she was slipping them down her hips, her back to him, the perfection of her skin completely distracting him from why he was upset. He couldn't wait another second and unfastened his own jeans. He grabbed her and dragged her back onto the bed. She gave a breathy laugh as she finished kicking her jeans off just as he settled between her thighs.

She moaned as he slipped inside her and he echoed it. Her heat surrounded him, pulsing around him and all he could feel was that burning pulsing heat as she lifted her legs around his hips to let him settle deeper inside her. He buried his head in her hair as his hips took up the ageless rhythm, her cries and moans driving him on as he nipped along her shoulder. He could feel his release building, and he pulled his hands away from her, planting them in the mattress on either side of her hips as his orgasm washed over him, the pain of his claws slamming out of his wrist as he released his seed deep inside her just adding to the pleasure of the moment.

"Oh God Logan…" She moaned and as the blood returned to his head he could smell and feel the aftershocks of her own release. It was the tears that were like ice water in his veins.

"Darlin?" He moaned against her neck. He lifted his head to look down at her. She had tears in her eyes, and wouldn't look at him. "Darlin?"

"Ah wanted…" She was sobbing now, but her body still held him close, her legs still wrapped around his hips, her arms tight around his neck. "Ah wanted ya ta be tha first, but I got tired of waitin…."

"Good for you, Darlin…I don't deserve it." He whispered against her lips as he traced them up to kiss away her tears. The salt burned on his tongue and they tasted bitter. "I love you just the way you are Darlin, I always have."

"Ah love you, Logan." She whispered against his lips as he tried to show her just how much he meant it, and kept trying all night long.


	4. Chapter 4

Family Connections

I don't own them, really I don't, and for some reason the ones I do, sometimes I just don't like that well. I know some camps believe that Victor and Logan are related, for all intents and purposes of this story they are NOT, this is AU…I'm going to say it again…This is Alternate Universe, mine, they have no blood connection what so ever, so please don't flame me about it.

A new mutant sets off warning bells all over the place. Can she adapt to her new family, and what's looming on the horizon? Multi Parings

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 4

Helen sat on the bench, leaning against the wall. They told her to sit out here because the judge wanted to talk to her and didn't want her hearing what was going on in the court room before he did. He was an idiot and if Kitty would shut her lip Helen could catch more than every third word going on in there.

"It will be alright. The professor won't let anything happen." Kitty kept saying.

Helen bit back a very Logan sounding growl as she tried to listen. She'd seen her mother when she came in, with the man in the very expensive suit, but they hadn't said a word to her, they'd looked through her like she wasn't even there. At least with her fat…Logan he was letting her have some say in things – and talked to HER.

She was enjoying her classes too, but she just didn't trust any of this yet. She didn't want to open herself up if she ended up having to leave in a few days, but everything in her body, what he called her instincts said to trust him. She shushed Kitty for the third time as she heard the scrape of chairs in the next room. That usually meant the judge was in there and she wanted to hear what her fate was going to be.

XXXXXXXXXX

Logan reached up to adjust the tie for the third time since leaving Helen on the bench outside. Marie had insisted on him wearing it and the accompanying suit and he had to admit she was right, he looked professional and 'stable.' Marie slipped her hand in his, the small chip of diamond flashing in the lights of the court room. She wouldn't let him buy her anything bigger, said it wasn't necessary, and he was more amazed by the warm flesh in his hand instead of the glove covered hands he'd grown accustomed to over the years.

The last week had been interesting to say the least. Marie had insisted that they wait, not get married right away but take their time. That they had been friends for so many years should be enough, with an engagement announcement. And if that wasn't enough, well a trip to the courthouse to get married would fix it. She didn't want Helen feeling rushed, and he didn't know what he loved her more for, worrying about his daughter, or the fact that she was all his.

The morning after he'd dragged her to her room had seemed like any other morning after they'd fallen asleep watching a movie, until her skin kicked in and started absorbing him. She'd pushed him off and cursed herself to the sixth level of hell for not being more careful…and it was at THAT point he'd realized they were both completely nude – and his scent was all over her – inside her.

That had been when he'd broken down. He just hadn't been able to comprehend that she was there – naked and HIS.

_"Marie…"_

_"What…Damn it, why'd I have ta go and absorb ya this morning? You wanted that mark ta stay there." She was trying to look at the back of her neck in the mirror. Mark? When had he…ohhh yeah. He'd definitely marked her last night. _

_"Darlin…there's more where that came from." He grinned._

_"But…"_

_"Your mine, Darlin…nothin's gonna change that, even if that little bite heals up." He said._

_"I ain't yours…"_

_"LIKE HELL!"_

_"I'm your GIRL…but you don't own me…"_

_"I didn't say that…you're my mate damn it." He snarled, and then he saw the grin on her face. She really did love riling him up._

_"Mate schmate…until you put a ring on this finger I don't belong ta you." She snapped._

_"FINE! We'll go shopping this afternoon."_

_"WHAT!"_

_"You are gonna marry me, DAMN IT!"_

_"Are you askin or tellin me!" She shouted back._

_"YES DAMN IT!"_

_"YES YES YES YES YES!" She screamed and threw herself over him on the bed. He groaned deep in his throat as her lips crushed against his._

"All rise." He glared at the bailiff for snapping him out of that moment. The only thing that kept his claws sheathed was her hand gripped in his. "The International Custodial Court for the State of New York is now in session, Judge Thomas Jackson presiding. The Province of Saskatchewan vs Charles Xavier, Logan Howlett and Xavier's School for the Gifted is now on the docket."

"Your Honor…" The man with Helen's mother, Logan didn't even remember her name, said as he started to stand.

"Mr. Williams you've been in my court before, you know the rules you will sit down and not speak until you are given permission to do so…am I clear, or do you want another forty eight hours for contempt?"

The man sat down and grumbled as the judge started going over the paperwork of the case.

"You may be seated." The bailiff said. Logan sat down, and tried not to fidget with his tie again.

"Mr. Howlett, you didn't know about your daughter?"

Logan looked at his attorney and then back at the Judge. "Uhh – no your honor." He muttered.

"What made you aware of her existence?"

"Umm – she has a mutation like mine – and we – at the school – have a device that detects when...mutations become active. The location and age and type of mutation made me suspicious." Logan had a sinking feeling about how this was going to go.

"So her mutation made you suspicious?" The judge didn't even look up from the file.

"And the location – I was in that area thirteen years ago and very ummm active." He stuttered.

"So you automatically thought that a child that developed a mutation similar to yours might be yours – and you went straight to get a court order to test for paternity?"

"umm – yes...I...if she was I wanted to know, and take my responsibility..." Logan felt like he was trying to sink into the ground. The judge hated him, he knew it and he was going to lose Helen because the judge hated him. Marie tightened her fingers around the hand in hers.

"I see." The judge said. "And Ms. Denny, the child was locked in a CLOSET while you entertained when she was picked up by Ms. deAncanto and Mr. Drake?"

"She weren't locked in there…she preferred ta be in there, she don't like my gentlemen friends." Logan didn't remember the voice or the scent from the woman but at some point he had been one of her 'gentlemen friends' and the idea twisted his stomach.

"I see." The judge said as he went back to the folder.

"Your Honor…" Mr. Williams tried to interject again.

"Sit down, shut up or you'll be back in lockup." The judge snapped. "This is a hearing – not a trial."

"Mr. Xavier, I see you requested custody instead of your employee, why was that?"

"We were unsure of her parentage at the time, and under the circumstances, it seemed the most expeditious way to meet the needs of the child in question." Charles said calmly.

The judge nodded.

"Well – under the circumstance I am not going to make a decision until I talk to the child in question."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The judge wanted to talk to her. Helen was suddenly nervous. She had no idea what she was going to say. She didn't want to go back with her mom, she really didn't but she wasn't entirely sure she trusted the people at the school.

A woman opened the door and led her into the court room.

"I want to speak to Miss Denney in my chambers." The judge said as he indicated that his clerk follow them. She glanced at her mother, who didn't even look at her, and then she glanced at Logan who tried to smile at her, but she could smell that he was nervous, very nervous.

"You tell that man you want to come home, girl" She heard her mother screech as she walked behind the woman into the office behind the court room. She could hear the loud voices in the court room as she sat down in a chair in front of the white haired judge.

"So…what do you want?" She could tell he was really interested in what she wanted – but she had no idea what that was.

"I don't know. I like being at the school, I fit in, there are kids my age, Logan made sure I have clothes and the things I need."

"Do you like your father?"

"Logan's pretty cool – I mean he doesn't hit me, he takes care of stuff I need and basically lets me have my own space."

"Your own space?"

"Yeah – the Professor he gave us a suite with three rooms and I have one all to myself. He doesn't come in and yell at me to clean it up, he makes sure that I make it to meals on time, and get my homework done but he doesn't have a whole bunch of rules that are hard to follow."

"And your mother does?

"Kinda yeah – shut up, stay out of the way, and keep the apartment clean so she doesn't have to…" She started listing them off.

"And your mother hits you if you don't do what she wants?"

"Sometimes – sometimes she does it just because, she says." Helen felt bad, telling him, but she really didn't want to go back with her mother.

"Do you WANT to stay at the school, with your father?"

"I don't know…I mean what's going to happen to my mom if I stay?"

"I don't know that will be up to the Canadian courts, I am only deciding where you will live and who will be responsible for you." The judge smiled kindly at her.

"Then yeah – I want to stay at the school."

"I am not making that decision, I am deciding if you live with your mother or your father." He said.

"Then yeah – I want to live with my father." She realized it was the first time she'd actually called him that and suddenly it felt right. "I want to live with my Dad."

The judge smiled and held out a hand to her to walk her back to the court room. The clerk led her back out to the bench outside and she sat back down with Kitty.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Logan sat there and watched her walk past. She didn't look at either of them, and he had a sinking feeling in his gut…he was going to lose her. He felt panic building inside him and he gripped Marie's hands with both of his. He had his girl…and if he had to take them both and leave to keep his daughter and his girl…then they would run.

"We will reconvene in thirty days, until that time I am granting full custody to Logan Howlett, with limited supervised visitation for Ms. Denney. If after thirty days Ms. Denny has shown that she has taken steps to learn to control her temper and establish a more stable and wholesome lifestyle we will reconsider the option of unsupervised visitation."

Logan's ears were ringing, the judge gave him custody…he had her…he had his daughter. He wanted to rip the tie off so he could breath, he wanted to let out a victory cry, he wanted to kiss Marie – and that was the only thing that seemed appropriate at the time.

He kissed her, and leaned his forehead against hers. "We have a girl." He whispered.

"That we do, Sugar." She whispered back.


	5. Chapter 5

Family Connections

I don't own them, really I don't, and for some reason the ones I do, sometimes I just don't like that well. I know some camps believe that Victor and Logan are related, for all intents and purposes of this story they are NOT, this is AU…I'm going to say it again…This is Alternate Universe, mine, they have no blood connection what so ever, so please don't flame me about it.

A new mutant sets off warning bells all over the place. Can she adapt to her new family, and what's looming on the horizon? Multi Parings

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 5

She felt the seams of the leather chaffing her skin across her shoulders. The Professor was going to have to order her a new uniform again. She was outgrowing this one.

"Good work today." Logan said as they listened to the debrief from the Danger Room session. "You four will be going in for your final exam tomorrow, and you seem to have the teamwork shit down good."

In the last six years she hadn't even seen her mother. They'd gone back to court but her mother hadn't even bothered to show up. She was Logan's daughter, Marie's daughter. The court had allowed Logan to legally change her name to Howlett after he and Marie got married. Marie had adopted her so she was legally her mother and Helen couldn't be prouder of her parents.

She looked around at her team mates; Craig and Donny, twins who worked together to create powerful telekinetic forces, and Brianna who created powerful sonic blasts. The four of them had been working together for the last six months and Helen liked all of them as friends, and as people she trusted with her back.

"Get plenty of rest tonight – you're gonna need it." Logan said gruffly as they slipped out the door. Brianna and Helen ducked into the women's locker room.

"So did you see the look Craig gave you…" Brianna said as they stripped down and for the showers.

"Nope and I'm NOT gonna either." Helen snapped. Craig would get over his puppy dog crush. If there was anything she'd learned from Logan and Marie, it was that when love happened it was not anything that disappeared, and Craig had crushes once a week…the kid had no idea what it meant.

"Give the guy a bone already…"

"NO! He's not my type and he doesn't want to deal with Dad's claws anyway."

"Helen you don't have a TYPE! You've been out on what THREE dates – and they were HUMAN!"

"I want someone like my Dad, so sue me. I see how he and Rogue are and I want that for myself, is that too much to ask." Helen ducked her head under the water stream to cut off Brianna's comment. "Besides, if it wasn't for Rogue, I wouldn't have been on THOSE dates…she's the one who said I should at least give it a try – and helped me sneak out."

"I still don't see why you had to sneak…your dad's really cool."

"With you guys…you don't have eighteen inches of adamantium waiting for you when you get home…" Helen said with a mock grimace. Her Dad really was cool…most of the time. He just got weird when boys noticed her.

She grabbed her towel and walked back into the locker room. She stopped suddenly. She sniffed the air. Who was that? And then it was gone. She thought about hitting the alarm then she heard Logan walk by talking to Hank and figured if they weren't alarmed she shouldn't be either.

She grabbed her sweater and jeans out of the locker and hurried getting dressed. Marie should be home soon and Helen didn't want to miss the big announcement.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Logan glared at the blonde giant. He still didn't like what Charles was doing for Helen's final test.

"Hey Runt." Victor Creed growled.

"Creed – you stay the fuck down here until tomorrow – I don't want you anywhere near these kids." Logan growled.

"I don't want ta be here – but the old man made it worth my while." Logan glared at him and resisted the urge to sink his claws into the man's massive chest.

"Just remember – when you're done here…you're DONE!" Logan snarled

"I'm DONE when the Egghead says I'm done – or when the money runs out, whichever is sooner." Creed towered over him, snarling in return.

"HEY! Enough macho bullshit, mate." Toad grumbled from his cot across the room. "What's one night – then we get nice comfy rooms upstairs."

"Fine…lookin forward ta seein' your frail again Runt." Creed's grin was purely predatorial.

"You go near Rogue I'll cut you to pieces, Chuck or no Chuck!" Logan stepped forward claws slipping from his fists.

**Logan, Rogue is home from town…**

Logan snarled at Sabretooth and then slipped his claws back into his fists. "I'm watching you Furface."

He turned and slammed the door to the special chamber. Helen shouldn't pick up any of their scents from in there – not until the test. The one drawback of the Danger Room is it couldn't fully test her senses – at least not her sense of smell, Xavier decided to bring in help for the final test, live help.

He stepped out of the elevator and looked at the door. Rogue and Helen were standing there and Helen took Rogue's purse and bags while Rogue's hands rested on her aching back. She smiled at him.

"Hey Baby…and…"

"Twins, both girls." She grinned. He ran across the entry and swept her up into his arms. This was the third time – the last two hadn't made it past the first trimester. He couldn't stop grinning; finally he was going to get to do it right from the beginning. Helen had been such a blessing he felt like he could do it right…and couldn't think of anyone else he wanted to raise children with.

"Logan…" Marie laughed.

"What…"

"Put me down…"

"Nope…" He swung her around again before setting her gently on her feet.

"Is everything going well?" Charles asked from the door to his office.

"Fine, Professor. Dr. Michaels still wants me to come in every week, but we have two girls growin' in there this time and everything looks normal." She was grinning.

"I am pleased Rogue." Charles said.

"Logan Ah am tired, Sugar. I'm gonna go upstairs."

"You need to rest, Baby." He whispered.

"Yeah – she wants mah feet up and as little stress as possible. Mah skin's enough of a problem without all the damned normal 'complications' I'm havin." He lifted her up and carried her up the stairs.

"I'm right here, Darlin. We do what the Doctor says – no matter what she says." He whispered against her hair, all thoughts and worries about Creed disappearing in an instant.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Helen watched them go up the stairs. Now wasn't the time to bring up the strange woman's scent she'd picked up in the locker room – at least not to her parents.

"It's quite alright, Helen. I have some guests staying with us for a day or two, maybe longer, there is no need to be concerned." Charles said as she turned to walk past him in the doorway.

"Thanks…I still am not used to all the extra stuff that comes with this mutation…"

"You will adjust in time…now don't you have the toddlers this afternoon?"

"Yeah…" She grinned. There wasn't much she enjoyed more than running around with the little ones. Hank and Ro had a little boy, Randall that was just adorable, and Bobby and Angelica's daughter was just as cute. Helen started watching them in the afternoons after she finished her academic work more to give the parents a break, but also because she really enjoyed taking care of them.

She spent the afternoon covered in Playdoh and mashed up cookies and loved every minute of it. After another shower she finished up her sixth college application. Logan insisted that she at least apply for them – even though she was planning on taking the extension courses at the institute so she could help out.

After dinner she curled up in bed with a book and was just about to turn her light out when there was a knock on her bedroom door.

"I'm going into town…Marie wants cherries – fresh cherries in January, go figure…you want anything." Logan asked as he sat down on the end of the bed.

"No – I'm good."

"You nervous about the test tomorrow?" He asked as he ran a hand through his rumpled hair.

"Not really." She grinned.

"Good girl…get some sleep." He grinned as he pulled the door shut. She switched off the light and settled under the covers.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

There was something strange. The Egghead hadn't told him exactly why he was here, just that it had to do with testing one of the kids for the team – and that he had another project for them after it was done. The eight million dollars he was paying them was the only incentive Victor had to stay here after this 'test' tomorrow, not that he NEEDED the money, but there was that little number he was bidding on that he could use the loose change for.

Mystique was laughing at something she was reading and Victor glared at her. He hadn't seen either of them since after the statue incident and wasn't in the mood to catch up. Being locked in a hermetically sealed room with them – and their stench was driving him insane. Toad was actually sitting quietly – and the snores told him why. He glared and pulled the pillow over his head. It was going to be a long night.


	6. Chapter 6

Family Connections

I don't own them, really I don't, and for some reason the ones I do, sometimes I just don't like that well. I know some camps believe that Victor and Logan are related, for all intents and purposes of this story they are NOT, this is AU…I'm going to say it again…This is Alternate Universe, mine, they have no blood connection what so ever, so please don't flame me about it.

A new mutant sets off warning bells all over the place. Can she adapt to her new family, and what's looming on the horizon? Multi Parings

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 6

They stood at the door of the Danger Room. Helen could smell just how nervous the others were. They had to pass this test to join the X-Men, and everyone was sworn to secrecy about it so they had no clue what was in store for them beyond that door.

"Simulation Test Liberty One Loaded. Please enter when ready." The computer voice said as the lock cycled on the door and the four of them were exposed to the first view of the beginning of the test…a foggy evening, fog so thick they couldn't see a thing in front of them.

The four of them slowly entered and the door slid shut behind them, hiding in the illusion created within the room. A familiar voice came over the loudspeakers.

"Your mission is to rescue a captured mutant from the top of the statue. There will be several obstacles on the way for you to overcome." Professor Xavier said. "You will be judged on teamwork, mission accomplishment, judgment and personal performance. Good luck."

Helen's senses were off…she should only be able to smell the four of them inside the room, but she was picking up at least three more scents, she looked around the area but couldn't spot anyone but the three of them. Donny led them to a wall and they jumped over and were confronted with the Statue of Liberty. They all knew the story – Helen probably more than the others so they knew exactly what the mission was. Rescue Rogue from Magneto before Mystique, Sabretooth, and Toad stopped them.

They headed into the entrance, slipping quietly through the metal detectors. Helen's senses were still off and one of the scents – the one from the locker room to be exact – was close, very close. She suddenly swung out with her foot and kicked one of the life sized replicas of the statue. It turned and caught her foot in its hand as the skin morphed to blue scales. Helen didn't even pause, just used the hold the shape shifter had on her foot as leverage and swung the other foot up to kick at her face. The glowing yellow eyes slitted either in humor – or anger, and she pulled back as Helen's foot slipped by her head.

"Nice." Mystique said. Brianna hit her with a shock wave, knocking the blue woman back into a display case. The two boys quickly subdued her with their telekinetic energy and Helen found some rope and tied her up. One obstacle down and Helen had a sneaking suspicion that the other two scents were not going to be as easy.

They made it to the third floor and the bank of elevators to the head when he stepped out of the shadows, long metal pole in his hand.

"Hallo Luv's." He grinned at them…and Helen could smell his smug satisfaction. He thought he'd taken them by surprise.

"Hello Toad…don't suppose you'll move out of the way?" Helen said with mock sweetness.

"Now what fun is that, Duckie…pretty thing like you, I certainly don't want ta get out of your way." He swung the pole out and started moving forward. He was moving slowly, not with his usual speed, something that set off Helen's instincts for danger. When he moved like lightning, the pole slammed down on the spot she had been standing on, she was already flipping over his head, one foot coming down to slam into his back while Brianna let go a flying punch right into his face. He dropped to the floor for a second before sweeping Brianna's feet from under her and rolling back to his feet, pole still in his hand.

Craig went down, pole catching him by surprise as Toad swung it. Donny jumped in to defend his twin while the girls circled, looking for an opening to subdue the amphibian mutant. Brianna finally hit him in the back with one of her sonic booms and Helen kicked the pole out of his hand. Toad flicked his tongue out and grabbed Helen's wrist with it, but Helen just grabbed it with both hands and PULLED dragging him off balance while Craig pulled himself up off the floor, and disabled Toad with a well placed blow to the head. Two down…

They made their way to the head…and suddenly Helen picked up a fourth scent. The room started to shudder and she ducked quickly as bands of metal reached out from the walls to grab her. She managed to avoid all of them but the others weren't so lucky. She was flat on the ground when a huge shadow fell over her. She could smell him, and there was something about his scent that had every hair on her body standing on end.

"Take care of this…I have work to do." She recognized the voice as Erik Lensherr – and the scent, she'd met him about six months ago when he came to visit Charles. It was the other scent that had her hands itching. The low growl caused a knot in her gut as she slowly pulled herself to her feet and turned to face him.

She stopped dead in her tracks. She couldn't breathe, he was huge – and her entire body was reacting to his presence. There was a low clenching in her gut, her blood was pounding in her veins, her face was hot and she couldn't stop the itch in the back of her hands. He growled low again, his black eyes narrowed and Helen caught a deep musk in his scent…that scent she understood, Logan had a similar scent when he was around Marie.

She dropped into a crouch, her hands fisted in her leather gloves as she wondered if she had the strength to handle a live Sabretooth. She'd gone against the simulation a few times and always ended up getting her ass kicked. He growled again and lunged for her. She ducked, but caught his foot in her side and slammed into a wall. She heard the crunch of ribs breaking and let out a low growl of her own.

Her arms were aching as she lifted them to ward off the blows from his hands and claws. The sharp metal talons ripped through her leather uniform and the scent of blood was strong – and all hers. She managed to get a kick into his knee and heard a satisfying pop as it dislocated and he went down for just a second.

She managed to pull back and get into a fighting crouch. He just snarled, popped his knee back into place and lunged again. This time it was a bear hug, his arms tightening around her – and his obvious arousal pressed against her as he leaned down and took her scent.

"Runt's CUB!?" He growled. "My LUCKY day." He ran his tongue along her cheek, and then bit down hard on her neck. She brought her knee up right into his engorged groin and he released his hold on her. She backed up and dropped into another crouch, her back to the opening ripped in the head of the statue. He lunged at her again, but this time she ducked, she aimed a double punch at his groin and a sudden searing pain ripped through her hands and arms as six shafts of bone slipped through the leather gloves and into his most intimate body parts.

His howl of pain echoed as he fell off the top of the statue and she could hear him cursing her as he landed in the water below.

She ran quickly to the others. Danny and Craig were just out of range to create their telekinetic bond and Brianna couldn't move the metal without hurting herself with her own power. Helen managed to pull Danny's bonds loose and he and Craig were able to get Brianna free.

"Now we just have Magneto to deal with." Brianna said with a grin. "This simulation rocks."

"Bri..those are NOT simulations…and I just pissed off a VERY real Sabretooth." Helen said as she looked at the six twelve inch shafts of bone still sticking out of her hands. She was more like her Dad than she thought. She shook her head. She'd deal with it later, they still had a mission to finish.

"Damn Helen…those are like Logan's only bone?" Craig said.

"Yeah – and a whole lot of good they'll do us against Magneto – lets go." Helen snapped.

Craig and Donny levitated Brianna and Helen over to the torch where Magneto – and Logan were waiting.

"Mission accomplished and good job." Magneto tipped his head to them.

"Simulation ended." Logan and the rest of the simulation disappeared, only the bound forms of Toad and Mystique remained with Magneto. Sabretooth was gone.

"I'm afraid we had to take Victor for some emergency medical treatment, I had no idea he'd lose THAT much blood from that particular injury."

Helen blushed…and looked down at the claws still sticking out of her hands. She had no idea how to put them away.

"Kid come here…" Logan walked in the door to the Danger Room. She walked over to him and he pulled her into a rough hug. "Good job – you all passed. Now let's deal with these."

Helen looked at the claws and listened as her father explained how to retract them into her arms, and helped her extend and retract them several times to make sure she had control.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He lay there letting his healing kick in. They hadn't warned him, about the frail. She was Logan's kid he could smell it – but more she was like him, feral and his entire body had reacted to her presence. He couldn't have hidden his reaction if he had tried, and she'd used it, good training there.

The stitches had HURT damn it…and now were itching as his body healed itself. He curled his claws into his hands…there was no way in HELL he was scratching himself and let that damned blue Cookie Monster wannabe laugh at him.

His laptop was still in the holding room they'd been in so he couldn't even check his bids while he waited. He was watching the Rondel on EBay at the moment, not his usual period but he liked the subject. Good Classical art for sale was hard to find these days. His mind drifted back to the little feral and how much he'd like to have a nude of her hanging on his wall – as long as he had the original in his bed. He let out a low groan as his body tried to react to that image and he felt a twinge from one of the stitches.

He'd have her alright, AFTER he'd made her pay for putting him through this. She had been almost as surprised by the claws as he'd been which helped to ease his temper just a bit. She hadn't intended to maim him, so perhaps just a lesson in discipline – and submission might be in order. He still had her blood in his mouth where he'd bitten her neck…he stopped. He'd marked her as his…his mate. He grinned and laid back thinking of all the different ways he could teach her some respect and let out another growl as another stitch twinged. Intended or not, the frail was going to pay for this.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Logan watched her as she massaged her wrists. Those claws weren't easy to live with, and until now he'd been grateful she'd been spared them. Well, now she had them, and Creed's interest to boot.

He'd almost ended it when he saw the reactions between the two of them, but Helen didn't let it stop her and Charles' cool hand on his arm had held him back, forced him to allow his daughter to face HIS worst enemy alone, and looking back she'd done good. He had to admit he was proud of her.

Creed was another story. He didn't want that bastard anywhere near the mansion.

"Charles, when are they leaving?" He growled. Charles looked up from the control panel.

"Not for several weeks. There is an issue on the island of Genosia that requires both mine and Eric's attention. We will be sending in a team, a joint team. I'm not sure who's going yet, so I invited all of them."

"I want him out of here…He's already threatened Rogue. Now THIS!"

"Logan…he is no threat, not right now, and I NEED him."

"Then I'm takin' my girls and I'm leavin." Logan snarled.

He felt Helen stiffen next to him.

"You can't Dad; Rogue can't be moved till the twins are born. She NEEDS to be here." Helen said.

"Stay out of this, Kid."

"NO!"Both men started at the strength in her voice. "I won't let you do this. I trust the Professor, and I am going to trust him to keep Creed away from us. Dad, for Mom's sake…"

"FIRST sign of trouble and we're packin up and leavin, you got me Baldy." Logan snarled at Charles before storming out of the control room.

He kicked in the door of the Medlab and snarled at the man laying on the gurney.

"Didn't know you had a cub…" Creed snarled with a predatory grin.

"You stay away from her…do you hear me."

"You never could protect your frails – what makes you think you can now."

"Stay away from them both." Logan growled, claws slipping out of his fists. "Or I'll finish what my daughter started."

"The kid – she's on her own…Daddy can't protect her anymore, and I KNOW what I smelled in there. As for your gravid frail – pregnant never did do it for me…so she's safe for now."

"How'd you know…"

"Dumb ass – I can smell it on you. You worry about your frail, let me deal with the kid."

"Over my dead body." Logan leaned menacingly toward the giant on the gurney. He didn't even see him move, but the giant's hand was around his throat, and Logan's claws were pressed against the bare skin of Victor's chest.

"The kid owes me one…I ain't gonna hurt her – much. Time ta cut those apron strings – DADDY…she did this to me, she's gonna pay."

"You keep your hands off my DAUGHTER!" Logan roared at him.

"LIKE HELL!" Victor snarled back at him, and then dropped him to the floor. "The kid's mine…don't believe me, check her neck." Logan snarled at the big man but he couldn't smell a lie – or any real anger.

"I will – and if you marked her … I'll kill you." Logan ground out through clenched teeth.

"She's marked…Dad." Victor grinned at him as Logan walked out the door. Logan made it to the elevator before the panic hit him. He'd MARKED her…as his MATE! HIS DAUGHER mated to that monster…Logan started plotting every way possible to kill the son of a bitch before he got his hands on Helen.


	7. Chapter 7

Family Connections

I don't own them, really I don't, and for some reason the ones I do, sometimes I just don't like that well. I know some camps believe that Victor and Logan are related, for all intents and purposes of this story they are NOT, this is AU…I'm going to say it again…This is Alternate Universe, mine, they have no blood connection what so ever, so please don't flame me about it.

A new mutant sets off warning bells all over the place. Can she adapt to her new family, and what's looming on the horizon? Multi Parings

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 7

Helen ducked out of the women's locker room and rushed to the elevator. She could smell him down in Medlab still so she was fairly certain she was safe to attempt the dash to the upper part of the mansion. Not that it would stop him if he really wanted to kill her for what she did. She heaved a sigh of relief as the elevator door closed. She leaned back against the metal wall and groaned.

She had no idea what was happening. One second she was standing there, in full fight mode, ready to go, and then he'd just stopped her with a look and a growl and she'd wanted to bow her head, and expose her neck to him. When he'd held her, pressed against the wall his tongue and teeth on her neck she'd shuddered – not in pain or revulsion but need.

He was SABRETOOTH for God's sake. Her father's worst enemy, a murderer, a rapist, NOT lover material at all, and all she wanted to do was crawl across the floor and beg him to take her. Her Dad was going to kill her.

Her fingers traced up her neck where he'd bitten her. The teeth marks still weren't fully healed and she didn't understand it. She let out a low growl as the door opened and she dashed for the stairs up to the family's suite. Rogue was reclining on the couch in the living room grading papers.

"Hey, Sugar."

"Hey, Mom…can I talk to you." She sat down on the end of the couch and pulled her knees up to her chest.

"Sure, how'd your test go?"

"We passed – but…"

"But?"

"The Professor – he…"

"I know he brought in help…no one could say anything. They got here yesterday." Rogue grinned at her.

"Then you know who's here?"

"Yeah…I suggested the test – and the help."

"WHY?" Helen stared at her.

"Baby girl, you're senses aren't fully tested in there…and with them ta help, it would give YOU a real test."

"But SABRETOOTH!"

"He wasn't supposed ta be HERE!" Rogue sat straight up on the couch.

"Well he IS!" Helen said as Rogue sat back, a look of panic on her face.

"What the HELL is Xavier thinkin, lettin' that monster in here, knowin how he and Logan are…." Rogue muttered.

"Anyway he's here, and evidently he's going to be here a while…and…I kinda did something in the test to really piss him off."

"That ain't hard, what'd ya do, punch him in the nose?" Rogue grinned.

"No – I put six claws into his groin…"

"You did WHAT!? What claws?"

"I have claws like Dad's…and they came out as I was trying to push him off of me and went right…well ya know…THERE!" Helen was blushing it wasn't like she hadn't had sex education – or 'the talk' with both Rogue and Logan but she still wasn't comfortable talking about sex or anything to do with it with either of them.

"Well – I – it could be worse…" Rogue said with a half hearted smile.

"How?"

"He coulda been turned on by ya…HE WAS!!!! OH SHIT." Helen blanched at the look on her face. Marie was scared, really scared, Helen could smell it.

"You're not helping MOM!" Helen groaned and buried her head in her knees.

"I wonder if Charles has a protection program we can put you in?" Rogue asked in all seriousness.

"Mom, he's going to KILL me…and I think I'd let him." She moaned into her knees telling Rogue what she'd done was the easy part – now she really needed to talk to her about how she felt.

"What, baby girl…what tha hell are ya talkin' about?" Rogue sat up and put an arm around her shoulder.

"I...I've run simulations before, I mean…he's not that bad looking…and…I just…Oh my God he smelled so good and all I wanted to do was LET him touch me, any way he wanted…and then he growled and attacked and I…my training kicked in but at one point he had me pinned and he…oh God he smelled my neck and then he bit me and OH MOM!!!! Am I sick…for feeling like this…I mean he's SABRETOOTH…"

"Oh MY!!!! Did you say he BIT your neck…let me see..." Rogue brushed her hair off of the back of her neck. "Oh damn, this is worse than Ah thought…"

"Why? He just bit me…"

"Baby girl, your Daddy's been keepin things about your mutation from ya, mostly because he don't know how it effects the females…but umm the whole bite the neck thing – its kinda an instinctual mating ritual…"

"You mean he…MATE!" Helen groaned and buried her head in her hands. Her entire body was trembling and she felt her eyes and face burning in total mortification and fear. He'd claimed her, expecting her to understand what it meant, and she'd not only not known, what she'd done was SURE to be seen as some kind of rejection…she was SO DEAD!

The door to the suite burst in and Logan came in, claws bared.

"Where is the son of a bitch?" He growled.

"Not here…" Rogue said glaring at her husband.

"I can smell Helen outside the damned mansion. You alright, baby?" He slipped the claws back into his arms and sat down on Helen's other side and slipped an arm around her shoulder, over Rogue's.

"Mom just told me what it meant – him biting me…and after what I did…he's going to think I…don't want…"

"Don't want? Helen…" Logan growled at her. She felt Rogue reach over and slap him on the back of the head. "Darlin…he's…I don't want you anywhere near that monster, damn it. NO Marie, I ain't gonna shut up. That's what he is, and my baby girl isn't gonna get involved with him, I don't care HOW prominent that damned bite is…"

"What does that have to do with anything…?" Helen said as he pushed her head forward and hair back to look at the bite on her neck.

"Charles has checked in with other female ferals, especially the ones that have found mates, and the thicker the scar tissue, the stronger the reaction, physical and emotional, at the time of the bite, tends to create a strong emotional dependence on each other, as strong or stronger than what Marie and I have." His voice was gentle, but his hands were almost bruising as he gripped her shoulder.

"So because we were in the middle of a fight, and emotions were running high, this mating thing is stronger?"

"Wrong emotions, Baby." He muttered. "And the determining factor for the mark isn't HIS emotions, but yours, your reaction to him…" He growled.

"WHAT!?" She really wanted to crawl into a hole and die…she couldn't help that he was just – well – HOT and just because he was dangerous, and sexy and she really wanted him to take his hands and…she stopped that thought right there.

"HELEN!" Logan growled.

"Sorry…" She caught the scent of musk in the room and realized it was HERS. "OH GOD!"

"We'll figure this out, baby girl." Rogue said softly. "We'll find a way ta fix it, even if Ah have ta drain tha bastard ta make him see reason."

"No you don't!" Logan glared at his wife.

"Well – we'll jest have ta survive tha next few months, til these buns are outa tha oven first…then Ah'll drain his ass…" Logan growled at her again. "Tough shit, loverboy…Ah ain't gonna let him hurt mah girl."

"Me either, Baby, me either." They both leaned in protectively over her and she heaved a sigh of relief. Maybe they'd be able to get him to understand that she hadn't meant to hurt him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The door was locked and the air was still being recycled. He didn't understand it. He was almost ready to tear the door off the hinges and go take what he wanted, but the damned Egghead kept telling him to be patient. What did he have to be patient about, the girl nearly maimed him, and he had a right to get some of his own back from her.

**Victor, I understand your mating instincts are on overdrive, but she is only eighteen, you have to give her time to come to grips with this. With your reputation – and obvious anger – it isn't going to be easy for either of you to establish a relationship.**

"Right now Egghead – I don't want a relationship – I want ta make the kid suffer." He growled out loud.

**Which is why you are still locked up.**

"Fuck you, Charles." He grumbled and reached for the door to rip it off the hinges. The electrical shock was a mild deterrent – for now. He sat back down on the gurney, the sweats they'd given him to replace his blood soaked leathers too short on his long legs. He didn't plan on HURTING the girl – much – just making her suffer a bit, learn who was boss.

**Victor she is suffering. She didn't know what…she didn't understand her reaction to you, or the seriousness of what that mark means. She does now, and she is terrified.**

"Good – a little fear would be a good thing for that kid." He snarled.

**Victor, she's afraid she's hurt you…afraid you took her reaction and her battle instincts as some sort of rejection.**

"WHAT!? Hell I'm actually half way proud she did it, I mean – my mate needs ta take care of herself and…I see your point." He was actually grinning remembering the look of stark horror on her face. She'd been afraid she'd actually hurt HIM. He had to laugh at that. "What do you suggest, Egghead?"

He knew what HE wanted to do, go upstairs grab her from where ever she was cowering and find the nearest bed – wall – floor he didn't care. The twinges were gone and his body was reacting to her remembered scent – he hadn't smelled anything that fresh – and HUNGRY in a long time. The girl had a lust to match his – he just had to wake it up.

**Some restraint would be wise…avoid her, let her think you are angry, let her mind and body adapt to your proximity slowly, before you try to exert yourself. There is also the matter of Logan, and convincing him that this is inevitable.**

"Well, I do have some things to take care of – the kid's not top on my list at the moment anyway. Any idea what's going on with the Genosian thing?" He heard the lock on the door release and Charles wheeled in, followed by Storm, and his overnight bag.

"Finally – something that fits." He growled a little and took the bag. Storm just glared at him and turned and walked out the door. "Don't mind me." He said to the older man as he stripped out of the sweats and his leather tunic. Inside the bag he had a pair of jeans, his favorite shirt, hand tailored linen, and his toiletries. He pulled out the brush and a hair tie first.

"Not yet. The mutants I was in contact with are suddenly silent. I don't like it, until I know more; I won't know what we need on the team to go in to get them out."

"I don't like that place." Victor grumbled as he carefully buttoned the shirt and tucked it into his jeans. His hand tooled belt slipped into the loops and he slid his feet into his custom Italian leather loafers. The brush went through is hair as he pulled out all the tangles from the fight and bound it tight to his head with a tie at the base of his skull. In the bottom of the bag was his laptop computer and he grinned.

"I don't suppose internet connection comes with the room, Chuckster." He said.

"Yes it does – wireless connection if you want."

"Good, I've got things ta do. I'll leave the kid alone – till SHE seeks me out, then all bets are off, deal?"

"Deal. However you will have to explain to Logan exactly what you intend."

"I'm sure he knows by now…if not, ya ain't gonna blame me if I have LITTLE fun now will ya?"

Charles frowned but shook his head. Victor trusted the Egghead to understand that he and Logan went way back, and would work out some kind of resolution, peaceful or not. He followed Charles out of the Medlab and to the elevator.

"I'm putting you on the second floor – opposite wing from Logan and his family; please do what you can to avoid trouble until we decide where to go from here."

"Where to go from here? You're not involved in where to go from here."

"I'm talking about Genosia."

"Sure you are."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Logan was leaning against the door waiting when they came up the stairs, cigar smoke curling around his head.

"Logan – not in the house." Charles said tiredly.

"Like hell." Logan snapped back. "Stay away from my girl." He snarled at Victor.

"I'm plannin' on it. I'm here ta do a job, and I ain't gonna let some uppity piece of ass distract me. Job over – all bets are off." The blonde snarled at him. Logan noticed he'd cleaned up a bit, put on clean clothes, hell he looked more civilized than Logan did at the moment in his flannel shirt and grease stained jeans.

"I'm not joking, Creed, keep your hands off my girl." Logan snarled again.

"Let me guess…nice deep scar. Too bad Daddy…your girl's mine now – when I get around to claiming her."

"Over my dead body – and yours." Logan snarled, claws slipping out of his hands.

"LOGAN!" Charles snapped. "Victor is our guest, I expect you to treat him like one."

"When this is over – I want the pleasure of throwing his ass out." Logan snarled and turned walking toward the stairs.

"Sleep well, Runt, I'll be watching." Victor snarled at his retreating back.

Logan just climbed the stairs slowly; he waited until he was well out of sight before he allowed a bit of haste into his movements. He was going to double check all the locks on the windows – install adamantium ones if he had to.


	8. Chapter 8

Family Connections

I don't own them, really I don't, and for some reason the ones I do, sometimes I just don't like that well. I know some camps believe that Victor and Logan are related, for all intents and purposes of this story they are NOT, this is AU…I'm going to say it again…This is Alternate Universe, mine, they have no blood connection what so ever, so please don't flame me about it.

A new mutant sets off warning bells all over the place. Can she adapt to her new family, and what's looming on the horizon? Multi Parings

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 8

Logan growled at the sight in front of him. For three days Helen had been hiding in her room, not even coming out for meals and CREED was sitting on the back porch, feet up on the railing, laptop in his lap grinning like a loon. He'd practically had the run of the place while Helen cowered in fear – or shame, Logan still wasn't completely sure.

"What the fuck are you doing – more of that artsy smartsy crap?"

"For your information, Mr. Howlett…" Logan almost jumped out of his skin, not only was Creed not snarling and snapping like the animal he was, he was actually civilized "I am bidding on a Rubens, he's an artist, quite good actually, dead though so his paintings are valuable, very valuable." Creed didn't even look at him.

"Like I give a shit…"

"You should – if I can win this at auction – I thought I might give it to the kid for a wedding present…what's her name, anyway?"

Logan just sputtered…and then he saw the curl of the other man's lip and knew he was being goaded – again. This time he wasn't rising to the bait, he had a child to protect.

"Leave her alone." He said it softly. "She didn't know – any of it." He leaned on the railing and looked at his nemesis. He knew Creed was older, far older, and thanks to some quiet work on Hank's part he was now one hundred percent certain they weren't blood relatives, but he STILL didn't want his daughter anywhere near the bastard.

"Ya don't get it, where am I gonna find a woman like her, huh…strong, able ta take anything that comes along – well with the exception of this…where is she, still hidin? She didn't learn that from you – or Rogue." Logan could see something in the other man's face, disappointment, subtle anger, things that Logan never associated with Creed, subtle wasn't a word to describe him at all.

"Yeah – still hiding, and no she didn't get that from us…her mother…I didn't get her till she was twelve and Rogue and I have worked hard to break some of the things her mother did to her, but there are still some things…" Logan stopped, why the hell was he telling Creed all of this?

"What do you mean you didn't get her till she was twelve?" Creed looked at him, then cursed and looked back at the laptop. He hit the mouse and then looked back at Logan.

"I didn't know about her till her mutation woke up." Logan thought maybe if he told Creed some of what Helen had been through it would discourage him, he knew how much Creed hated emotional 'frail' crap. "She'd been locked in a closet while her mother played whore…"

"Real winner you picked there, Runt."

"Hey – I was still out of it from Weapon X – and that's my ONLY excuse."

"pshhh…" The sound was strange coming from Creed. "How bad is it?"

"What?" Logan didn't quite know what Creed was asking.

"The kid – how bad was it?"

"She was exposed to a hell of a lot more than she should have been at that age, and…I don't know how far the physical abuse went. I know it was bad when Rogue and Bobby found her, I don't think her mother ever let any of her 'friends' touch her, the physical exams say no, but there's a difference between touching and fucking."

"Shit." Logan looked at the strange look on Creed's face. "And she didn't know about the claws?"

"That was the first manifestation of them…"

Creed let out another hissed breath, and hit the button on the computer again; neither man said anything, and the silence dragged on.

"So this hiding is from her mom huh?"

"Her mother yeah – Rogue's her Mom."

"Got it."

"It's not just hiding, physically, she retreats, creates worlds in her mind. We've had her in therapy, and with Xavier around we can always reach her, but she's scared, more scared than I've ever seen her. I'm losin' her." Logan heard the catch in his voice and hated exposing the vulnerability to Creed, but somehow he didn't think the blonde giant would use this one against him – not deliberately.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Leave her alone, let this fade. She's not ready for anything like this…She's young and she's scared and she doesn't know what's going on." Logan hated that it sounded like a plea – not a request, but for his girl he'd even go begging to Creed.

"Sounds ta me like she knows exactly what's going on – just not how ta deal with it." Creed was frowning. "I ain't lettin' her go, but I ain't gonna push…at least, I ain't angry with her anymore, and I can wait a while, but she's got ta get used ta me."

"Creed…"

"Logan – she's what, eighteen, you're gonna have ta let her grow up sometime. I'm agreein ta give her some time, but we both know I ain't patient. You got another bun in the oven there, let this one stretch her wings."

"Aren't you just a pile of mixed metaphors today." Logan snapped – not able to think of anything else. Creed's argument was sound, damn it, and at least with him as her mate Logan wouldn't have to worry about protecting her from the world, Creed would do that, and all Logan would have to do is protect her from Creed.

He and Rogue hadn't said much; even Helen didn't know the real extent of the danger Rogue and the twins were in. Her body was fighting the pregnancy. She'd absorbed too much of Logan over the years, and the healing factor was trying to get rid of what it saw as a parasite. Hank had to suppress it, and that made Rogue weak, physically and emotionally right now, and it was everything Logan could do to concentrate on his own mate. He hated feeling like he was abandoning his daughter – but at least it was into the hands of the one man in the world that could take care of her.

"What are you tryin ta say?" Creed snapped back.

"I'll try ta pry her out of her room – but YOU have ta convince her, I ain't fightin your battle for ya." Logan said finally.

"Did you just…agree with this?" Logan couldn't suppress the chuckle at the puzzled look on Creed's face. He'd actually surprised Creed.

"Yeah…I got too much on my plate ta fight ya – or her…she's torn up."

"About what?"

"She thinks…" Logan hated giving him ammunition to use, but he needed to know she was safe, and this was the only way he could think of to ensure her safety…so he could ensure Marie's. "She thinks you're going to kill her. She thinks that…after what she did, you hate her, that you took it as some kind of rejection, and she's afraid."

"Hell…kid needs ta grow up, if I held it against everyone that hurt me in a fight, I'd have a whole lot more dead bodies behind me than I do."

"That's another thing…she ain't gettin involved in your work…" Logan snarled.

"I wasn't planning on it, I don't play well with others, and I want my mate safe and out of the way when I'm workin – I don't need the distraction."

"Just…Creed, she's my little girl…" Logan could feel his eyes burning, and rage building at having to turn her over to this monster, but he'd seen the look in her eyes when she talked about him, when she sat in tears worried that she'd hurt CREED, and knew he wasn't going to be able to stop it.

Creed just nodded, and turned back to his computer screen. Logan turned and walked away, he knew Creed could smell the salt, and didn't want to see the gloating look on the bastard's face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He stared at the screen not really seeing the painting he was bidding on. She thought he'd hurt her; at first, maybe, but not now. He'd had time to think – think things through, and he'd realized that she hadn't intended any harm, she'd just been doing what she'd been trained to do, and under the circumstances he'd have done the exact same thing – hell HE'D drawn blood first.

He'd been hoping she'd confront him, seek him out, and been disappointed that she hadn't. He wanted a mate with a backbone…and now that he knew, he wasn't sure he could deal with the frail crap she brought with her. He let out a low growl as another bid hit the screen, this time for almost ten million dollars. He was sick of this crap, he doubled the bid.

Now he had to decide what he was going to do about this. He had no idea…he'd thought Logan had raised her, that she'd have some idea how to deal with him, but now…he was going to have to tread softly, and go gently with all her frail emotional crap…two words he wasn't that familiar with at all.

He grinned as the bidding closed. At least THAT was accomplished. He wanted her to know she meant something to him – as much as his art…and at twenty million dollars, that was a whole damned lot.

He waited for it to power down, and closed the laptop with a snap. If he was going to have to play it easy and gentle and soft, the LEAST she could do was come out of the damned room and let him get a GOOD look at her. He already had a plan to drive her out – but he was going to have to get some help.

Instilling fear was something he was a master of; he knew just how much he was going to have to push to show her she wasn't safe from him, even in her room. She needed to learn the only safe haven she had anymore was HIM. He packed the laptop into its hard padded case and grinned as he walked into the mansion. What he liked most about this plan – was the Runt was going to have to help him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Helen sat curled up on her bed, the tray from lunch sitting at the end of the bed, the food only half eaten. She knew they were worried about her but she just didn't care. She didn't know what to do, she couldn't leave the room, she could smell him every place she went in the school. She hadn't been to class in three days, and she was scared – very scared of what he might do if he found her…but more she was scared of what she might do.

The hallways were scary places full of shadows where she cringed looking for him around every corner and in every darkened doorway. Here she was safe, it was the one place she could go, the one place she didn't have to worry him finding her.

She heard soft voices, and low growls outside in the sitting room and she pulled her knees in closer. She could smell him out there, and she didn't know why he was here. Whatever he was saying – and her parents were answering they were keeping it low enough that she couldn't hear. She heard angry muttering, and smelled Logan's rage and Marie's fear. She huddled closer to the headboard, her body shaking.

The voices stopped, and she could smell his scent getting fainter. He wasn't angry just – frustrated was the only word she could think of.

"Sugar…" Marie opened the door. "Are you goin' ta tha doctor with me?"

"Do I have to?" She asked with a tremor in her voice. She didn't want to leave this room.

"Well ya did promse." She brushed her platinum hair back behind her ears.

"I suppose…is there any way to make sure where he is…?" She hated the whimper in her voice. The worst part wasn't her fear of seeing him, but her fear of NOT seeing him. While she was awake the thought of his anger, his rage, and his guaranteed need for revenge had her trembling; but the dreams at night were leaving her trembling for very different reasons.

It wasn't like she didn't understand what she was feeling, she'd lived with her mother long enough to know more than most of the kids about the facts of life. She wanted him, and she knew she'd take whatever he chose to give her, even if it was blood and pain…and probably enjoy it. She lived with Logan and Marie for God's sake, she understood about ferals and sex, they had made SURE she did.

She uncurled her legs and slid off the bed. "Let me get a shower, Mom, and I'll go with you." She whispered. Maybe some time away from the mansion – away from the fear would help her get her head on straight before had to walk those halls again.


	9. Chapter 9

Family Connections

I don't own them, really I don't, and for some reason the ones I do, sometimes I just don't like that well. I know some camps believe that Victor and Logan are related, for all intents and purposes of this story they are NOT, this is AU…I'm going to say it again…This is Alternate Universe, mine, they have no blood connection what so ever, so please don't flame me about it.

A new mutant sets off warning bells all over the place. Can she adapt to her new family, and what's looming on the horizon? Multi Parings

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 9

It took her twenty minutes to relax after they left the mansion grounds. They were sitting in the doctor's waiting room as the knot unwound and she heaved a sigh of relief.

"Feelin' better, Sugar." Marie asked.

"Yeah…I can breathe."

"It's not that bad. He's even halfway civilized once ya actually talk ta him." Marie said, patting Helen's hand on the arm of the chair.

"That's not the problem Mom…you wouldn't understand…"

"Let meh try ta guess. Ya want him, ya don't know how ta let him know because ya did somethin that ya don't think he'll forgive ya for…and ye're afraid he's gonna stay mad at ya forever over it."

"Yeah…"

"Damn I felt that way about your Dad for YEARS!"

"Really?"

"Sugar – the first week I met him, Ah nearly killed him TWICE…"

"REALLY?"

"Yeah…"

"You mean…"

"Ah mean, you and Creed will have ta work things out. It took your Dad years – and findin out about YOU ta come ta his senses. I don't think it'll take Creed that long…he doesn't have your father's nobility."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well – Creed's a selfish bastard, he ain't gonna wait on ya t grow up or be ready for him…he'll take what he wants – if you don't offer it to him first."

"Mrs. Howlett." The nurse said from the door.

"You wait right here, Ah'll be back and we'll go get somethin ta eat before we head back, and finish this." Marie said as she awkwardly rose from the chair and waddled to the door being held open by the nurse.

Helen flipped through a magazine, but her mind wasn't on it. Now that his scent – his anger, his need – weren't forefront in her senses and her mind she started getting angry herself. HE was the one who'd come there to do the test, HE was the one that should have KNOWN she would react badly, or at the least SHOULD have been warned. It was HER test...she could feel another knot starting to build inside her – this one burning anger.

Marie came out a few minutes later and they walked out to the car.

"Sugar…you've got ta stop bein scared of him, or at least realize that he ain't gonna kill ya. Ah don't like the man – don't get me wrong, but…well this whole mating instinct thing ain't exactly something that I'm gonna try ta understand, Sugar." Marie patted her hand.

"I can't help it…after everything I've heard, and with all the danger room sessions and…"

"Hell, Sugar, even your father's relaxing around him a little."

XXXXXXXXXXX

He slipped down the hallway; the Runt and Rogue were going to keep her out of the mansion for at least an hour and he needed to get this plan in motion. He was either going to drive her deeper into depression, which he had a plan B for, or he was going to have a kicking spitting snarling feral female on his hand…and THAT'S what he wanted.

He glanced around, before slipping into the Howlett suite. He could smell which room was hers…but it was the Runt standing there that stopped him in his tracks.

"I thought you were takin' the frails?"

"I let them go alone. I wanted to make sure you didn't do anything MORE than we agreed too." Logan snarled at him. Victor held up the fabric covered bundle in his hand.

Logan just nodded…and pointed to the open door, then crossed his arms over his chest and watched as Victor walked into the room that smelled like his mate. He took a deep scent, his body responding to the fear and need that filled her scent. He walked to the edge of the bed and ran a claw gently across the pillow before lifting it off the bed, and laying the one in his hand in its place.

He turned and glared at the Runt and walked out of the room, after running his hand across the top of her dresser, and allowed himself a slight smile. Logan had to be going insane, knowing what his daughter was feeling – being able to smell it, and knowing he couldn't do anything to stop the inevitable.

He stalked out of the suite, without even a backwards glance at the man with the adamantium claws behind him. He wanted to get to his room – and start making plans for later. He slipped into the room, no one at the mansion any the wiser, and he held her pillow against his face, rubbing his cheek on it, and marking his scent over hers. His body was tight; the pressure of his jeans reminding him that she hadn't accepted him yet. He let out a low growl…she would one way or the other.

He placed her pillow on the bed, and sat down to lean on the headboard and wait for the explosion…he hoped. He got up twice, once to pull his shirt off and fold it neatly on the chair, the second time to unfasten his jeans, they were getting way too tight. She wasn't getting away this time…he wasn't going to let her. He reached back and pulled his hair down, and shook it loose. She saw him as an animal; he'd give her what she wanted.

He sat there, waiting. He got up and kicked his shoes off and threw them in the closet, the less he had to deal with when things came to a head the better. He grabbed his shirt and walked to the closet and hung it up. Her scent was driving him insane. The room was filling with it, and he started pacing back and forth, growling and snarling, waiting to hear the car coming up the drive.

FINALLY he heard it, and glanced out the window. He watched as they pulled up to the front door and she got out and walked around to help Rogue out of the driver's side. He stopped himself from turning and storming down there, and demanding what was his. She would understand soon enough…and he hoped to hell it pissed her off.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Helen could smell it as soon as they walked in the door of the suite. He'd been here – she stormed into her room – he'd been HERE – touching her things. She immediately noticed the pillow that didn't match her bedding and let out a low rumbling snarl. Just who the HELL did he think he was, anyway?

"Darlin?"

"Don't you Darlin me Dad! YOU were in on this, I CAN SMELL IT!" She turned and roared at him. Even the fearsome Wolverine backed down when his daughter was in a full temper. Her claws slipped from her clenched fists and she ripped into the pillow on the bed.

"Darlin…"

"Don't talk to me…TRAITOR!" She roared at him. "If this is what you want – FINE! Don't EVER talk to me again…You and he planned this – LIVE with IT!" She stormed past him and out of the suite, the ruins of the pillow in her hand, students scattering as she passed, running as they saw her claws.

She kicked the door in… "AND YOU…BASTARD!" She roared at him and then stopped dead in her tracks all anger draining away at the sight and scent of him. He was standing there, crouched like a lion ready to spring, hair loose and flowing, bare chested, his pants open at the top button, claws out and his scent was one of wariness and pure raw sexual need.

He didn't say a word, just sprang, the door slamming shut behind her as one clawed hand raked across the skin of her neck as his mouth captured hers. Her body took over and she forgot everything but the taste and scent and feel of him as her claws slid into her arms and her fingers tangled in his hair trying to pull him closer.

He tasted wild, his teeth grazing her lip, the taste of their blood mingling in their mouths as the fierce kiss continued. The blood only spurred them both on, and her need fogged mind barely registered the sound of ripping fabric, as skin was pressed to skin and she felt him pressed against her, pushing inside her with no warning.

She let out a snarling growl that changed quickly to a scream of both passion and pain as he ripped through her barrier and sheathed himself fully inside her. Her own fangs dug deep into his shoulder as he set a punishing rhythm that pushed her closer and closer to something she both wanted and dreaded.

Her body wasn't fighting him, and she allowed her feral instincts to take over, wrapping her legs around his waist and moaning against his skin as he drove into her. She felt like she was going to explode and then she did, her body shuddering around him…but he didn't stop, just turned, supporting her body with his hands as he dropped them both onto the bed as he kept driving into her. She moaned again as she felt the pressure building again…his hands were kneading her breasts and his mouth was suckling at her neck and ears as his body drove her insane.

He lifted his head, the fierce look of possession and need on his face should have been a warning, as his claws dug deep into her hips and he roared in his climax. She could feel him throbbing inside her as he emptied himself into her and that was enough to send her spiraling again, her own roar joining his. He dropped his full weight onto her body pinning her in place as his head rested against the top of hers. He had her fully tucked under his body, and she suddenly felt safe and protected from the world.

XXXXXXXXXX

Logan paced the room back and forth, his claws had exploded from his hands at her scream, and he could hear them both – and the roar from Creed's mouth was one he'd heard many times before – over the body of the women he'd killed. Her roar was the only thing that kept him from tearing the door down and ripping into Creed for hurting his little girl.

"Logan, Sugar, it's her choice, and once she settles down she'll realize you didn't do it ta hurt her." Marie's words should have helped calm him but he was close to ripping into her as well.

"You were involved in this too, Darlin." He snarled.

"I know – and she'll be angry with both of us…but that's not a bad thing, Sugar. She needs ta bond with him; if he's her mate, she needs ta accept him, and she ain't gonna do that if she thinks she can hide here." She put both hands on her back as she walked across the room. He smelled the pain and all thoughts of Helen fled.

"Darlin – are you alright?"

"I'm fine – it's just heavy, carryin these two around all tha time." She settled onto the couch, and he sat down and reached to take her feet in his lap. He snarled as he slid his claws into his hands and then he took one swollen foot and started gently rubbing the instep.

"Do you really think she'll forgive us?" He asked, worry in his voice not only for his child, but for the woman carrying his other children.

"She will – Creed's not gonna hurt her, Sugar. He wants her as badly as she wants him, and from tha sound of things…they came ta some kinda agreement." Marie said – and then took a hissing breath.

"Darlin?"

"Just a spike – its normal…tha doctor said ta expect it, if I have any blood – or if it doesn't stop after half an hour I'm supposed ta call her."

"Darlin – I can't lose you now…." He laid his head on her knee as her fingers laced through his hair.

"I'm fine, Sugar…see it's easin up. Now you relax, Helen and Creed will work things out or they won't, and if they don't she's always got a home with us…but she's got ta grow up sometime." He heard her sigh and realized she was having as difficult a time with this as he was. Helen was as much her daughter as his, and she had to calm a raging Wolverine instead of worrying about her little girl. He felt the tears slip from his eyes as he rested his head on her legs. He didn't deserve her – not a bit, and he thanked his lucky stars every day that she hadn't wised up over the last six years.


	10. Chapter 10

Family Connections

I don't own them, really I don't, and for some reason the ones I do, sometimes I just don't like that well. I know some camps believe that Victor and Logan are related, for all intents and purposes of this story they are NOT, this is AU…I'm going to say it again…This is Alternate Universe, mine, they have no blood connection what so ever, so please don't flame me about it.

A new mutant sets off warning bells all over the place. Can she adapt to her new family, and what's looming on the horizon? Multi Parings

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 10

Helen woke to sound of a chainsaw in her ear or that's what it sounded like. She tried to sit up but there was a heavy weight around her waist holding her down. Her eyes shot open as she felt the weight tighten and the chainsaw mutter something about 'staying put damn it.'

She felt her skin burning as she remembered the events of the afternoon – and evening – and night before they'd both passed out; neither one of them had given the other time to breathe, much less talk about anything, and suddenly she felt completely lost and afraid.

"If that doesn't quit…" He growled in her ear.

"What?"

"Darlin…you wore me out…and I didn't think that was possible…I'm honestly not in the mood to fuck ya again, yet…so tone down the fear a bit, would ya." He grumbled, and pulled her back against him. She blushed harder, and she could feel her eyes burning. She wasn't going to cry – not in front of him…but he wasn't letting her go either and she didn't think she'd win if she tried to fight him.

"Get some damned sleep, woman." He snarled. "And none of that frail crap, it's too damned early in the morning for it." She heard his breathing slide into a steady rhythm and tried to relax against his body. For better or worse, she was his mate, she'd made that choice, and she was starting to think it was going to be worse. She heard the students moving around in the hallway outside the door, the soft whispers as they tried to avoid waking the sleeping ferals inside the room.

"Do you think Helen's alright?" She heard one of the girls ask.

"I am wondering if HE'S still breathing." Helen heard Brianna say. "I've heard Helen mad – but NEVER that mad."

"He's Sabretooth, of course he's still breathing." Donny said as they snuck past the door. Helen heard the chuckle from behind her.

"Your friends don't have much confidence in you, do they?" He chuckled against her ear.

"They have plenty of confidence in me." She snapped and tried to pull away from him.

"NO!" It wasn't a roar but it might as well have been. "I like you where you are."

"Well maybe I don't." She snapped.

"You'll have ta learn, Darlin…it's what I want that matters. Now stay put or I'll tie ya there." He growled as he settled back on to the mattress. She let out a warning growl of her own, but his hand clamping down on her throat made her swallow it.

"Two choices, frail…either you learn quick, or you learn hard. I'm givin' you one shot…fuck with me; I'll make your life a living hell." She nodded slowly, and he released her. She sprang away from him and almost made it to the door before his hands grabbed her by her waist and threw her back on the bed. "Looks like you want to do things the hard way."

He grabbed a belt from the top of the dresser and sat on top of her chest. Her claws slipped out of her hands and she took a swipe at one leg, trying to force him to let her up. He laughed and captured the hand, then grabbed the other as she made a swipe for his face. He quickly bound her hands with the belt, and then attached them to the headboard, making sure the claws were turned so that she couldn't cut the leather with them. He climbed off her chest, still grinning and found another leather belt and bound her ankles together before climbing back onto her chest. She glared up at him.

"I warned you." He whispered, as he ran a sharp claw down her cheek. "Now you owe me, I'm awake…" He ran the tip of the claw over her bottom lip "and I think I want to try your mouth."

She tried to turn her head, but his iron grip held her firmly in place.

"What's the matter, Darlin? You shoulda realized what all that moving around was gonna do ta me." He brushed the tip of his erection against her lips and she bit down hard to keep from opening them. He just shook his head, and slipped off her chest again. "Think about it, Darlin."

He opened the closet and pulled out a pair of sweats and one of the school's sweatshirts and walked into the bathroom. She wanted to scream, but there were too many people outside the door, and she didn't want any of them to see her like this.

**Helen, if you truly need assistance we will be there in a heartbeat. He doesn't want to hurt – or force you into anything, but he IS a dominant male, and expects to be dominant. It will take time and patience to break some of his bad habits; I just hope you have the patience and determination to do it.** Charles' voice was comforting in her mind and it did help her calm down and realize he hadn't hurt her, or forced her to do anything she didn't want to do…she was more embarrassed by the situation than angry at him for tying her up.

XXXXXXXXXXX

He stood under the streaming cold water. He'd thought once he had her under him that he wouldn't have to resort to them anymore, but no, she had to have a stubborn streak a fucking mile wide. He refused to force her, she was his mate, not some girl he'd picked up in a bar, or a mark he was paid to kill. He wanted a long time with her, he wanted to have children with her, and he wasn't going to fuck up his chances now by forcing her to do something she wasn't comfortable with.

He shivered under the icy water, and could smell Drake on the other side of the wall. Well, he'd teach Ice boy a thing or two in the Danger Room later. He let out a loud growl and heard her sharp snarl from the bedroom. Damn it, she had to get over thinking the world revolved around her.

He climbed out of the shower and pulled on the sweats. He walked back into the bedroom, her hands were twisted in the belt and he knew it had to be cutting off the circulation. He pretended not to notice and grabbed his tennis shoes out of the closet and sat down on the edge of the bed, his weight forcing her to roll against his back. He turned his face to hide the grin at her sharp intake of breath – and the definite scent of arousal coming off of her body.

He pulled the shoes on and tied them, then casually reached over her body and dropped a blanket over her.

"Now GET SOME DAMNED SLEEP. I'm goin' for a run." He snarled, and walked to the door. He could hear her snarling and snapping as he grinned and walked down the hallway. Several of the kids looked at him in shock, and then ran in the opposite direction. A good run around the grounds sounded like just the distraction he needed – while she learned her little lesson.

Logan was sitting on a bench under a tree outside the back entrance to the building. Victor almost turned and went the other way, but something about how the other man was sitting there made him walk over.

"Can I kill ya now?" Logan greeted him.

"Hell no – you'll never be a grandfather that way." He dropped onto the bench next to his nemesis.

"I'll be lucky to be a father again." Logan took a long drag on his cigar.

"Rogue alright?" She was Helen's mother in every way that counted, and no matter how little people thought of him, he did actually give a damn.

"False labor all night…You and Helen didn't help." Logan snarled.

"I ain't gonna tell ya we'll be quiet, I don't think it's possible." He reached over and grabbed the cigar, pulling a drag into his lungs. "Is she alright – your mate?"

"She says she is, I can smell the pain though…we've made it this far...two more weeks and if it gets bad they'll induce, but the doctor just doesn't think they'll make it if she goes into labor this early."

"I can take Helen…leave if it will help, I ain't leavin without her, not now." He snarled.

"I ain't askin ya to…she's made her choices, and I gotta live with 'em." Logan growled. "But she coulda done a hell of a lot worse."

"FUCK!" Victor growled. He HATED it when Logan was right – and being the good guy, it always made him feel somehow less. "I'm goin for a run, Hero…you go take care of your frail…your daughter's MINE now." He heard the snarl as he stood up and took off running through the woods. It always made him feel just a little better, getting one up on the Runt, and from now on…he'd always have the final say. That thought brought a grin to his face, almost as big a grin as when he remembered what was waiting for him in his room… a pissed off and tied up frail ready to kill – or fuck.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Logan watched the retreating back of the man he might as well call his son-in-law and considered how many times he'd have to plunge his claws into that thick skull to make his daughter a widow – and they weren't even married yet. THAT was going to change, if he had anything to say about it.

He slipped his claws back into his arms and turned and walked back to the mansion. He slowly climbed the stairs, weariness making his steps drag. He hadn't been this tired – or frustrated since he'd been cage fighting before he met Rogue. He hadn't been able to touch her in months and listening to Creed and his daughter last night hadn't been easy in more than one way. He refused to let her 'take care of him' as she said it, it wasn't fair to her. If she had to wait, so would he. He was beginning to wonder if it was worth it, those two tiny lives they'd created, and then he stopped and slammed his head into a wall.

"Don't be an idiot, Logan." He muttered to himself.

**Logan your anger and frustration is perfectly understandable. Both children and Rogue are fine. I am monitoring all three of them, and other than her very understandable concern for you and Helen, Rogue is holding up remarkably well under the circumstances. She is being watched closely, and not just by you, for any sign of difficulty. You will get through this.**

Logan didn't even snarl his usual 'stay out of my head.' Instead he just nodded, and walked on down the hallway. Never again, they were never going through this again. He'd make sure of it, and if she gave him any hell about how much he was spending on condoms he'd remind her of everything they'd been through.

He had another thought that brought him up short – and startled some of the students as they passed him in the hall as his claws slipped from his hands. They were having two more girls…that meant in eighteen years he was going to have to go through all of this all over again – TWICE!

XXXXXXXXXX

Helen twisted and turned until the leather cut deeply into her wrists, the blood making it easier to move in the leather but not making it any easier to maneuver. Her hands and fingers were numb from her attempts to free herself and the shooting pains up her arms told her she needed to stop or she was going to cause some serious damage that would take a while to heal. She was going to KILL him when she got loose.

She tried one more time to twist her arm to slip one wrist from the leather and the sickening pop and shooting pain was enough to make her stop. Damn she'd broken something, she bit back a whimper and tried to pop whatever it was back into place so it would heal straight, the last thing she wanted was to have to re-break it later to fix it.

She jumped at the sound of the door slamming open and his growl reverberating in the room.

"YOU LITTLE IDIOT!" He roared, yanking on the belt, causing her to whimper in pain again. He unstrapped her from the headboard and grabbed her wrist. He leaned down and captured her mouth with his as he snapped the broken bone back into place, his mouth swallowed her scream of pain, and whimper as the throbbing slowly subsided. He pulled her up to a seated position and looked at her wrists.

He lifted the broken one to his mouth and gently lapped at it with his tongue, cleaning all the blood away as he gently rubbed the abused tendons and muscles of her forearm and hand. He gave the other hand the same attention, and by the time he was done, she was whimpering for an entirely different reason.

He gently removed the belt from her ankles and gave them the same attentions as her wrists. Her entire body was on fire by the time he was through and when he spread his body over hers and slipped inside her she just wrapped her legs around his waist and let him push her right over the edge. His moan and then roar of satisfaction were filtered through her own haze as her body trembled under him.

She lay there under his body, as he stroked her hair, then clenched his fist in it and forced her to look at him.

"If you ever do anything like that again…" He growled, but she saw something in his eyes, and caught something in his scent that she'd never expected – fear.

"You're the one who left me here." She snapped back. She was surprised by the spike in the scent.

"If you ever hurt yourself to try to get away from me again…" He started but left it hanging, as if he had no idea what he'd do.

"I wasn't trying to get away from you, you ass…I was trying to get my hands on you…" She growled.

"Well in that case…" He thrust deep inside her again. "What were you going to do?"


	11. Chapter 11

Family Connections

I don't own them, really I don't, and for some reason the ones I do, sometimes I just don't like that well. I know some camps believe that Victor and Logan are related, for all intents and purposes of this story they are NOT, this is AU…I'm going to say it again…This is Alternate Universe, mine, they have no blood connection what so ever, so please don't flame me about it.

A new mutant sets off warning bells all over the place. Can she adapt to her new family, and what's looming on the horizon? Multi Parings

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Chapter 11

He left her to sleep – again. He had to admit the girl held her own, now he just wanted to get her into the Danger Room and see how she could fight, so far he was impressed. He quietly took a shower and slipped from the room. He had a delivery arriving today and wanted to find someplace to hide it; he didn't want her finding out about her wedding present, yet.

There was definitely going to be a wedding, Helen needed someone to take care of her. He hadn't missed the signs, and knew the Runt and Rogue had done what they could, but she was going to take years, possibly decades to really get over her past.

It pissed him off to no end what a few short years could do to completely screw up a person. He heard voices downstairs, angry voices, angry Runt voice in particular and grinned. At least there would be something interesting to do until she woke up.

"…know what the hell you are doing here. You gave up any rights years ago." He heard Logan say as he walked into the Professor's study unannounced.

"She's my daughter and I'd like to see her." The woman was hidden from view but he could smell her, she smelled like stale sex, stale perfume, stale sweat and death. Logan stepped out of the way and he saw her. Helen didn't take after her much, Victor could see her nose, the way the corner of her mouth quirked, and this woman had a horrible parody of the beautiful hands that he'd enjoyed all morning. He let out a low growl.

"Ahh, Victor can I get you to step outside for a moment." He knew for a fact Charles had known he was there, and there was no way he was leaving this room, not now, not after what the Runt had told him about this woman.

"Fuck you, Charles." He growled, and took a spot behind the Runt, arms crossed over his chest and glaring at the sad piece of flesh in the chair. And she was sad. He felt a sudden surge of gratitude to the Runt, Helen would never have to look like that, thanks to the healing factor. Victor would make sure life didn't harden her like that.

"I just want to see Helen." The woman said her voice a croak from too much booze and too much hard life. He saw women like that every day, aged twenty years older because of the bad choices in their lives. He didn't have a grain of sympathy for them. The rotting pile of flesh glanced over at him and flashed him what she probably thought was a winning smile, looking for sympathy. He didn't even hide the retch in reaction. She glared at him and turned back to Logan.

"You don't talk to him – you talk to me. She's MINE!" He growled it out.

"Yours?" The woman turned in the chair. That's when he figured it out, the entire left side of her face was stiff, as was the arm on that side, and then he saw the cane. She'd had at least one stroke, and was working on another one.

"That's right, MINE, and you stay the fuck away from my mate."

"I'm her mother." The woman said.

"No you are the sack of shit that gave birth to her, her mother's upstairs." He snarled. Logan glanced at him in surprise and Victor flashed him a small grin. Sometimes he could see eye to eye with the Runt, sometimes.

"I just wanted to tell her about her grandfather." He and Logan both let out matching growls at the same time; they'd both picked up on the lie.

"Mr. Logan…" One of the kids from the danger room, one of the twins, Donny, he thought, came bursting into the door. "It's Rogue."

"SHIT!" Logan muttered. "She's all yours." He tossed his head at the woman in the chair and took off out the door. Victor let his favorite smile cross his face.

"VICTOR!" Charles said harshly. "No bloodshed in my office."

The woman's face blanched.

"You go see what's going on with Rogue, let me deal with this."

"Rogue is fine, in labor but fine." Charles said simply.

"It's too damned early." Victor said, ignoring the woman in the chair.

"Babies come when they are ready, Victor, and those two little minds tell me they are very ready."

Victor growled a tinge of concern for the little spitfire. He had to admit just a little admiration for her, putting up with the Runt all these years.

"Now, Ms. Denny you did sign giving up your parental rights, but Helen is eighteen and if she chooses to see you that is her choice." Charles said to the woman in the chair.

"Then someone tell her I'm here." The woman snapped at Charles.

"Why don't you take care of that Charles, I'd like a few words with…Ms. Denny."

"I'll go take care of that. Victor, remember what I said, no blood on my carpet." Charles said as he wheeled himself out of the office.

They were alone, Victor smiled at the woman and it widened as she blanched. "What do you really want with my mate?" He growled.

"Your what? Mate…her father is allowing a beast like you around my little girl, and they said what I did was abuse." She sneered. He gave her points for guts, and understood where Helen came by it – she got it in spades from both parents.

"He didn't have much to say about it…she's MINE!" He roared the last word at her. She stood her ground, and he gave her another point for that. He might not kill the bitch – yet. "Now what the HELL do you want?"

"Her grandfather died, I thought I might at least tell her." He growled. "Alright, fine, the old bastard left everything to her, and I need the money to live on…disability doesn't go very far." She glared at him.

"Get the fuck out – and don't ever let me see you again. Helen's mine."

"I need her to sign these papers."

"I don't care what YOU need, bitch. Logan told me what you did to my girl, and if you ever come anywhere near her again I'll rip your guts out and wear them for garters…"

"VICTOR!" Helen shouted behind him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"VICTOR!" She shouted just because Belinda was a bitch didn't give him the right to talk to her like that. Belinda was her problem, not his.

"I am NOT going to let that woman hurt you again, Darlin." He snarled.

"I am MORE than capable of handling this myself, Sweetheart." She snarled back.

"Helen, I just wanted to let you know about your grandfather." Belinda said and Helen turned on the woman that gave birth to her.

"I really couldn't care less…none of you ever did anything for me." She snapped. She wasn't really pissed at Belinda but she didn't want to even consider her life before the mansion.

"YOU ungrateful little bitch, I gave birth to you, now you sign these papers before I slap you into next week, you little fucking slut." Helen could feel the tight knot starting to form in her stomach. The tirade went on, and she only half listened to it as Belinda listed all her faults, from infancy. She just wanted to run – find someplace to hide to get away from the hate and anger. It was the low growl from across the room that made her look up.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP BITCH!" He roared. "AND YOU…" He turned on Helen and it was the last straw, she just collapsed into a ball on the floor trembling, tears slipping from under her tightly closed eyelids, her body curled protectively in against the coming blows. The second roar and the sound of ripping paper barely registered in her mind.

"Get the fuck out and stay out – and if I EVER see you again I WILL rip your guts out." She heard him shout, and the loud slam of the front door of the mansion. She'd managed to curl up against the Professor's desk, trying to find someplace where the blows would only come from one side. She didn't even look up at the sound of the office door closing.

He paced back and forth, snarling, muttering to himself and she waited to see what he would do. She hadn't been this afraid since she was a little girl.

"JUST QUIT!!!!" He roared at her, slamming his fist into a wall.

She just whimpered deep in her throat and cowered further against the desk.

"I don't do this frail CRAP!" He snarled.

She watched his booted feet pace back and forth across the Professor's antique Persian rug. She tried to bite back the whimper, afraid of what he might do if he heard it. Suddenly his hands were tight around her arms and he was shaking her.

"HELEN!" He roared in her face. She was suspended by her upper arms; her feet at least three feet off the floor. She couldn't look at him, so she just stared at the X-Men sweatshirt he was wearing. "Listen to me…you have to calm down. This isn't good for either of us."

His voice was strained and she could tell he was trying to be calm. Suddenly she was against his chest, her head tucked under his chin and her body started to tremble as he sat in one of the leather chairs, and cradled her against him.

"You tell ANYONE about this…" He muttered against her hair as she felt the first wracking sobs hit her body. He held her as she cried, her body shaking. From somewhere her fear fogged mind registered a strange low sound, soothing and comforting. It took a while for her to realize it was him purring as he stroked her hair. Finally the sobs subsided and she realized she was curled up in Sabretooth's lap with him purring and petting her like a kitten.

"Now you want ta tell me just what the fuck you were so damned scared of?" He muttered against her hair.

"You." She whispered.

"I don't think so…Darlin, you were nearly petrified when you walked in here."

"I just…"

"She still scares ya…She ever comes near ya again – I'll kill the bitch. What the HELL did she do to put you into a scare like that?" She could smell his anger again and wanted to diffuse it before he became violent again. "NO! No more fear damn it."

He tucked his finger under her chin and forced her to look up at him.

"You have no idea what that does to me?" He whispered before his lips crashed down on hers. She could feel him hardening against her hip as his claws raked through her hair, while the other hand roughly kneaded her breast through her top. "So either quit – or strip."

She hesitantly raised her hands to the buttons of her blouse but his large hand gripped both of hers and stopped her.

"I shouldn't have given ya a choice…." He muttered. "This ain't the time, and you're gonna tell me." He gripped her hands till they hurt. "What did she do?"

"I thought Logan told you?" She finally managed to choke out.

"Just the basics, I want details, so that when I catch the bitch I can make sure she atones for every fucking thing."

"Don't."

"Helen, she hurt you, and only you know who or how many others have hurt you because of her, and I want you to tell me."

"No." She waited for him to get angry.

"Alright – for now, but you are gonna tell me, someday." His lips were brushing across her forehead, and she leaned in as his arms slipped around her and pressed her close against his chest. He stood up, suddenly, dumping her onto the floor.

"Now – you have a Danger Room session, and I have a class to get back to." He turned on his heel and stormed out the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Logan heard the door slam and the car drive off, he hoped the bitch was gone. A sudden sharp pain in his hand drew his attention back to his wife in the bed. She had a death grip on his hand, and it was causing the tips of his claws to dig into the flesh between his fingers.

"Darlin…"

"I'm FIAHNNNNN!" She shouted through the pain.

"I see a cranial cavity…" Hank said from his place between Rogue's feet. "Just a little more…"

"My skin…" Rogue started, but the urge to push hit her hard, and she just grunted and strained, and Logan just sat there helplessly as she tried to crush the adamantium coated bones in his hand.

The sudden cry and quick movement of Dr. McCoy startled both of them. As soon as the head and shoulders were out and the baby was breathing, he hadn't waited for the next contraction, but gently and quickly pulled the baby from harm's way.

"No adverse reaction to your skin, Rogue, and she seems to be healthy in every way." Hank said as he passed the newborn to Jubilee who was assisting him. Logan hissed as Rogue clamped down on his hand again as another contraction hit, announcing the imminent arrival of the second twin.

Logan wanted to wipe the sweat from his brow, but Marie had such a grip on his hands that he didn't dare try to free one.

"LOGAN! I'm NEVER doin' this again…" She shouted as she bore down again, and another tiny cry joined her sister's.

"Of course not, Darlin, whatever you say, Darlin." He whispered against her hair as their third daughter entered the room. The first was bundled in a blanket and in the warmer already, and this one quickly joined her sister.

Marie dropped back against Logan's chest where he'd been sitting supporting her and he let her pull his arms tight around her chest.

"You did it, Darlin." He whispered. Hank's huge blue hands completely engulfed the first baby as he brought her to her mother.

"I believe this one is Elizabeth." He smiled and handed he bundled infant to her mother, Jubilee was still cleaning and examining the second one. "Amanda will be along shortly."

He watched as Marie tentatively brushed a bare finger across the baby's cheek, he could smell her fear, that her control would slip and she'd hurt the tiny thing. He hated her fear, and wanted to snarl at the blanket wrapped bundle that was frightening his mate. His hands were finally free and he forced himself to keep his claws sheathed.

"And here's Amanda." Hank said as the blanketed bundle was dropped unceremoniously in his arms. He glared down at the tiny thing and something happened. It's little nose wrinkled in a certain way, like Marie's and he realized that this wasn't something threatening, and yet completely daunting. He took a scent, and memorized both infant's scents immediately. He found it almost impossible to tear his eyes from Amanda, but he had to look at Elizabeth and make sure she was alright.

Marie was cooing at the baby in her arms, and he smiled. His girl was holding his girl, while he held the other one. Life couldn't be more perfect.


End file.
